


I'm Coming After You

by All_My_Characters_Are_Dead



Series: Cops and Robbers [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Chat Noir is a cat burglar, Cops & Robbers AU, F/M, Marinette is a cop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-16
Updated: 2016-01-24
Packaged: 2018-05-01 22:04:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 33
Words: 25,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5222630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/All_My_Characters_Are_Dead/pseuds/All_My_Characters_Are_Dead
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marinette is a rookie police officer who just wants to not be stuck doing paperwork. Luckily, a new thief in town takes notice of her and decides to make her life interesting. But danger lurks in the shadows, and Chat Noir has his own agenda.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Cat Burglar

Officer Marinette Dupain-Cheng scowled at the pile of papers on her desk. As the newest officer, she often got stuck with the paperwork. Most of the other officers were leaving for the night, but she still had this mountain of files to deal with.

  


“Marinette, why don’t you leave those for tomorrow? Let’s catch a movie,” suggested her partner, Alya.

“I can’t, Alya. I have paperwork,” Marinette protested.

“Correction. We have paperwork. We’re partners; we’ll do it together tomorrow,” Alya told her. “Come see a movie with me. It’ll be fun! There’s a new heist movie out!” Marinette shook her head at her partner’s excitement. Alya loved any kind of excitement, especially in movies, and had a strong sense of right and wrong that served her well as an officer. She was more experienced than Marinette, though only by a few years. Normally, a new officer like Marinette wouldn’t be assigned to work with a relatively inexperienced partner like Alya, but no one else was available to be Marinette’s senior partner. What Alya lacked in years she made up for with enthusiasm, determination, and her need to know even seemingly insignificant details about things. Marinette was sure Alya would have made a great reporter, if she hadn’t become a police officer. “Marinette!”

“Sorry!” Marinette grinned sheepishly. “I was thinking.”

“About the heist movie?” Alya asked, knowing that was probably the last thing on her junior partner’s mind.

“No,” Marinette admitted. “But it does sound fun,” she added hastily. “Should we change clothes?”

“No need! Let’s go!” Alya beamed and dragged Marinette out of the building. The two women walked down the street toward the theater, still in their uniforms. As they passed an apartment building, movement on one of the upper balconies caught Marinette’s eye. She paused and looked up. Someone was out on one of the balconies, but it was too dark for her to see clearly. She was about to continue on her way, when the figure suddenly went over the balcony rail, dropped a floor, and landed on the railing of the balcony below. Marinette blinked, thinking that maybe her eyes were playing tricks on her. But then the person did it again, falling to a lower balcony a floor or two at a time. Whoever it was seemed to be doing it on purpose, but when they reached the last floor with balconies, they didn’t seem to notice the women below and let go, somersaulting in the air.

“Alya, look out!” Marinette shouted, lunging forward and pushing her partner out of harm’s way, then turning to see if the balcony-jumping figure had landed yet – only for the figure to collide with her. Marinette went down with a squeak, the mystery person falling with her.

“Marinette! Are you okay?” Alya’s voice called. Marinette opened her eyes, realizing she had closed them as she fell. Above her was a pair of green eyes that seemed to glitter in the dim light of the street lamps. The person from the balcony had landed on her, propping themselves up so as not to put too much weight on the woman.

“I’m fine,” Marinette answered.

“Yes you are,” the person above her agreed, smirking at her.

“Quit flirting and get off her. You could’ve hurt someone!” Alya exclaimed. Marinette realized the person above her was a he, with messy light, maybe blond, hair and shadows clinging to his face – no, he was wearing a mask over the upper half of his face. Why would he…wait.

“You’re a thief!” Marinette realized. “You’re under arrest!”

“I’ve got him,” Alya said, reaching for the man. He threw his weight sideways, rolling to avoid Alya’s grasp. Marinette scrambled to her feet as the burglar rolled easily to his own. Both officers faced him for a moment, waiting to see if he would run. He gave them a confident smirk, his body relaxed and his gaze fixed on Marinette. There was something odd about his hair…was he wearing cat ears? Why would he be wearing cat ears?

“As much as I like the idea of being in handcuffs and in your custody, Officer, I have somewhere to be,” he said casually. Marinette blinked, then processed his words and scowled.

"Don’t make us chase you down,” Alya warned, reaching for her Taser.

“You don’t have to chase me,” the man replied. “But I wouldn’t mind your partner trying to catch me.”

“You…” Before Alya could finish her sentence, the theif whirled and bolted. Alya and Marinette took off after him, but he was faster, darting around a corner and vanishing into the night before they could turn the corner after him. For a moment, the two women stood there, staring around, looking for any sign of him.

“Now we’re going to have even more paperwork to do,” Marinette groaned.

“Did you see his outfit?” Alya asked. “He was dressed like a cat!” Marinette started to say she had noticed, and thought it was stupid for a thief to dress in such a distinctive manner, but then she stopped. Thief…burglar…cat ears… She groaned again. “What’s wrong?”

“He’s a cat burglar!” the younger officer explained, mingled exasperation, irritation, and amusement coloring her voice. “His whole outfit is a lame pun!” Alya gaped at her for a moment, then burst out laughing.

"A cat burglar!” she giggled. “That’s perfect.”

“Perfect?” Marinette repeated, one eyebrow raised.

“Since we have to let the night shift know what happened and get them to check out the building and see if anyone was robbed, we’ll miss the movie,” Alya explained. “But seeing a costumed thief is like being in a movie of our own!”


	2. The Gentleman Thief

Apparently the costumed thief was making quite the name for himself in the area. The morning after Marinette’s encounter with him, she found a whole file on him in the pile of paperwork on her desk, complete with the report she and Alya had given the night before and the report the night shift had added on what had been stolen. The apartment connected to the balcony Marinette had originally spotted him on was missing a single piece of jewelry, a silver necklace with an emerald pendant. Marinette frowned and flipped through the other pages of the file. Apparently this thief had shown up about a month ago, but only petty thefts had be attributed to him so far. Or they would be petty if he didn’t break in to steal them. In each case, exactly one item was stolen, and in its place was a note on paw print stationary with a signature in loopy calligraphy: Chat Noir. Also, more valuable items were usually overlooked for some reason.

“He takes his costume theme seriously,” Marinette muttered, closing the file and setting it off to the side to discuss with Alya when she arrived. Marinette was always one of the first officers at the station, coming in early because she didn’t want to risk being late.

“Who does?” Marinette looked up and smiled at Kim, one of the older officers. He was the athlete of the department, and loved chasing down criminals. His partner, Max, was a former analyst who preferred tracking people electronically.

“This guy who keeps signing his crime scenes,” Marinette answered. “Chat Noir.”

“He’s a weird one. I heard you and Alya ran into him last night,” Kim added. “What was he like?”

“He’s got a thing for Marinette,” Alya told him, walking up and setting a cup of coffee in front of her partner. “Drink up. We’ve been assigned to bring Chat Noir in.” Marinette picked up the cup and sipped carefully.

“You have? I thought you’d be on patrol again,” Kim said.

“Chief Damocles decided that since we’ve actually seen him face to mask, and since he seems to like Marinette, we get to catch him,” Alya explained. Marinette frowned over her coffee cup.

“He was just flirting. It’s probably part of whatever persona he’s building,” she said seriously. “I mean, he signs his crime scenes, wears cat ears, and he takes one item every time, always something nice but not expensive enough to count as more than a petty theft.”

“So he’s careful, marks his territory, and he’s clever. Sounds like a tomcat to me,” Alya commented with a grin. “And he’s a fast runner.”

“Then if you two need another pair of officers to help on this case, let Max and I know,” Kim offered.

“Will do,” Alya agreed. “So, partner, since you’ve read the file, where should we start?” Marinette hesitated. Alya was the senior partner; she usually made decisions like that. “Aw, don’t give me that look. You need to learn how to make these choices eventually. Why not now?”

“She’s right. And if Alya’s right and Chat Noir has a thing for you…” Kim trailed off with a grin.

“He was just flirting. He would’ve said the same thing to anyone,” Marinette protested.

“He didn’t flirt with me at all,” Alya pointed out. “So you’re in charge.” Marinette sighed and picked up Chat Noir’s file again instead. There was no arguing with Alya when she made up her mind, so Marinette would just do her best and if she messed up, she trusted her partner to correct her.

“Let’s get Nino to have a look and give us a full profile of this guy,” Marinette suggested. “Then we can see if there are any people in common between the thefts.” Alya nodded her approval, and Marinette relaxed. She’d made the right choice. The door opened, and the station’s profiler walked in.

“Hey! Nino!” Alya called, waving to the man who had just entered. He waved back and made his way over.

“I’d better see if Max has any info on our cases,” Kim told them. “See you later.” He left, headed for his partner’s desk. Nino arrived a moment later.

“What’s up, Alya?” Nino asked, glancing between her and her partner curiously.

“We got assigned to the Chat Noir case. Marinette wants a full profile,” Alya explained, turning to her partner. Marinette gulped nervously as Nino also turned his attention to her.

“I have some idea of what he’s like, or at least what he wants us to think he’s like,” she told him. “But I want your opinion.” Nino nodded thoughtfully.

“Chat Noir…that’s the guy who keeps leaving calling cards right?”

“Yeah. And he wears a black cat outfit,” Marinette added. Nino blinked at that.

“I’d heard some witnesses claimed they saw a guy in all black, but…”

“He’s a cat burglar,” Alya explained, stifling a giggle at the look on Nino’s face.

“And he’s really flirty too,” Marinette added. “We ran into him last night.”

“Okay. Anything else?” the profiler asked.

“He’s only hit middle or high class apartments and homes. And he hardly ever takes the most expensive item available, and there’s only one item reported missing each time,” Marinette informed him.

“Only one thing the victims will admit is missing, anyway,” Alya added, waggling her eyebrows suggestively. Marinette shook her head at her partner.

“Then he’s not just a cat burglar,” Nino told them. “He’s a gentleman thief. He probably likes the challenge of stealing but doesn’t need the money, and he only steals from people who can afford the loss. He’s got his persona he presents – suave, charming, all that – and he may or may not be like that in his everyday life. He could be the opposite, and using his cat burglar theme to be more like what he thinks he should be. The only thing he’s missing from the trope of a gentleman thief is…”

The phone on Alya’s desk rang, cutting the profiler off. The senior partner made an apologetic face, then reached over and answered the phone.

“This is – yes, Officer Dupain-Cheng is here, but – okay.” Alya held the phone out to Marinette. “It’s for you.” Marinette stood and took the phone, frowning in confusion.

“Officer Dupain-Cheng,” she said.

“Hello there,” a man’s voice purred. “I left you a present.”

“What? Who is this?” Marinette demanded.

“I’m betting a fine lady like yourself will be able to guess,” the man replied playfully. Marinette blinked. She had a guess, but hesitated to voice it. “Come on, my lady,” he urged. “You seemed so determined last night.” That 'last night' confirmed it.

“Chat Noir,” she said. Alya and Nino exchanged surprised glances. “What’s this about a present?”

“You should be getting a call soon. You’re welcome, my lady.” Before she could reply, there was a click, and the line went dead. Marinette put the phone down.

“Chat Noir called you,” Alya whispered, eyes gleaming. “I knew he had a thing for you!”

“I’ve met him once,” Marinette snapped.

“He could just be developing his persona,” Nino agreed. “Or he could have identified with you for some reason. Either way, you can use it.”

“You said something about a present?” Alya prompted.

“Yeah. He said he left me a present, and we’d be getting a call about it soon,” she explained.

“Leaving gifts for police is another part of the gentleman thief trope,” Nino told them.

“It’s also a very catlike thing to do,” Alya pointed out. Marinette bit her lip thoughtfully. What could a burglar possibly think would be a good gift for a cop?

“Alya! Marinette!” Chief Damocles stepped out of his office. “I just emailed you an address. A mugger was found tied up with a calling card. Go and pick him up.”

“Guess now we know what that present is,” Alya murmured, taking out her cell phone and checking her email. “It’s right by where we saw him last night.”

“Maybe Max can track the number that called while we check it out,” Marinette suggested.

“Good thinking. Maybe we’ll get something even if this present isn’t helpful,” Alya agreed.

“I’ll ask him,” Nino offered. “I’ll have him call if he finds anything before you get back.”

“Thanks, Nino. You’re the best,” Alya said cheerfully. Marinette nodded and took a last sip of coffee.

“You want to drive?” she asked.

“Nope. You’re in charge, remember? You drive,” Alya answered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone has suggestions/requests for scenes, events, or roles for a character to play (if they haven't been introduced yet), let me know via comment or on my tumblr, allmycharactersare-dead.  
> I would really appreciate it!


	3. The Present

“I have to give Chat Noir points for his dramatic flair,” Alya admitted as she and Marinette eyed the ‘present’ the thief had left for them. The man was tied to a lamppost with black ropes, the ends tied in a bow over his chest. A piece of paw print stationary was tucked into the man’s pocket. Alya walked over and took the stationary out, then held it up so Marinette could see the signature on it.

“Officers! Thank you for coming!” A young woman with a bandanna around her wild, multicolored hair ran up to them. “I was so scared! That guy was trying to mug me, but then some guy in a cat ears came up and beat him up!” Alya and Marinette exchanged surprised looks. Chat Noir’s gift really was another criminal. It didn’t make sense.

“We’d better take him to the station,” Marinette said. “But the witness might know something about Chat Noir…”

“I’ll put the mugger in the car,” Alya offered. “You talk to her.” Marinette nodded her agreement and turned to the short woman who was waiting anxiously. “The person in the cat outfit – did you see where he went?”

“No, but he told me to give this to whoever came to get the mugger,” the woman answered, holding out a full sheet of pawprint stationary. Marinette took it gingerly.

“Thanks. Would you come down to the station later to give a formal statement?” she asked. The woman nodded, seeming to relax a bit. “Great. You name is…?”

“Mylène,” the woman answered. “Should I have kept the cat guy here?”

“No, it’s okay,” Marinette assured her. “But if you see him again, call the police and keep your distance, okay?” Mylène nodded quickly, glancing over her shoulder as though Chat Noir was going to appear and attack her. “You don’t need to be afraid. Just call us like I said, and everything will be okay,” she promised.

“All right.”

“Marinette! Let’s go back to the station!” Alya called. Marinette turned to reassure the witness again, but the woman was already hurrying away. Marinette shrugged and went to the police car.

“Maybe Nino or Max will have something for us,” she said hopefully. Even if they didn't have any leads, whatever the thief had written on the note he'd left with Mylène would be some sort of clue. Marinette grinned as she got behind the wheel and started the car. She and Alya would have Chat Noir in custody in no time!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is super duper short, and I'm sorry, but this scene didn't feel right with the second chapter, and it doesn't work right with what I have planned for the third chapter either. So I posted it as it's own chapter.


	4. The Invitation

There were no leads. The call had come from a pay phone, and all Nino could tell them was that turning in more violent criminals was in line with the persona of a gentleman thief, and so was fixating on a single law enforcement official as someone to communicate with, someone who would pursue them and challenge them. And the stationary note...well. It was helpful, but not the way Marinette had been hoping. It was an invitation, not a clue.

'My lady, I would be honored if you would meet me tonight beneath the Eiffel Tower at 9pm. A nice chat, just the two of us, would be lovely.'

It was a simple note, written in loopy calligraphy that matched the signature on all of Chat Noir's calling cards. Marinette had read it over and over, trying to figure out if Chat Noir would actually be there if she went. She'd talked it over with Alya, and they had taken the note to Chief Damocles to request permission to go to the meeting.

They had been denied. Damocles told them they were too inexperienced, and another pair would try to make contact. Max and Kim were chosen, since Kim had a better chance of catching the athletic thief, and Max would be monitoring phone usage in the area. Both would be out of uniform, equipped with hidden microphones and cameras, so Alya and Marinette could monitor the situation from a distance. Frustrated, Marinette had asked Nino to monitor with Alya. After all, Chat Noir probably wouldn't show himself if he didn't see her, and they had promised to call her if there was any sign of him.

It was almost nine, and Kim and Max were in position, with Nino and Alya monitoring from a nearby cafe. Marinette was back at the police station, pouring over the reports from the previous Chat Noir thefts again. Marinette paused and stared at the station clock, watching as nine o'clock came and went. She was alone in the station, except for the single night shift desk worker. She sighed and set down her files. Maybe she should just go home; it was fifteen minutes after, and surely if anything was going to happen, it would have happened by now.

The phone rang, and the night shift officer answered. Marinette sighed and started to put away her files.

"Officer Dupain-Cheng?" the other officer called. "Line one is for you." Frowning, Marinette picked up the phone on her desk and hit the button for line one. It was probably Alya or Nino calling to tell her nothing had happened. Or maybe he had shown up after all.

"This is Officer Dupain-Cheng," she said. "What happened?"

"That's what I'd like to know, my lady. You stood me up." Marinette froze.

"Chat Noir," she whispered, her mind racing. "I didn't think you were serious," she lied.

"That hurts. You believed me enough to send your fellow officers to wait for me." He almost sounded like he was pouting.

"I'm sorry," she said without quite knowing why. Had he really expected her to show up? Even if she had been allowed to be out there waiting for him, she wouldn't have been alone. Surely he knew that.

"Perhaps we could reschedule," he suggested. Marinette hesitated; she knew the chief wouldn't like her acting on her own, making promises to the criminal she was supposed to be arresting, and she really should confirm with Alya before she did anything. "Please, my lady? I swear no harm will come to you if you agree."

"Why would I believe that?" she asked.

"Because I may be a thief, but I have my honor," he answered seriously. Marinette made a decision: so far he had acted completely in line with Nino's appraisal, which meant he was probably telling the truth. She could use that, especially since he had apparently chosen her to be the one he would communicate with.

"All right. Where and when?"

"Ten thirty, you can choose the location," Chat Noir replied easily. "Just please wear something besides your officer uniform. I don't want to attract attention."

"Because the cat outfit is so subtle," she grumbled. "Fine. How about the roof of the apartment building next to the one you robbed last night?" That would give her time to change clothes, and she was sure the building manager would let her in, even if she wasn't in uniform.

"I'll be there, my lady, if you leave your friends out of it," he told her. "I look forward to it." The line went dead, and Marinette waited for a second before she dialed Alya's number.

"Nothing's happened. We're packing up now," Alya said without waiting for Marinette to say anything.

"I know. He didn't show himself because I wasn't there," Marinette replied. "He called just now. I'm going to meet him somewhere else."

"What? Where? When? Marinette, Damocles won't be happy," Alya warned. Before her partner could answer, Alya continued, "But I think it's the only way for any meeting to work, and we need to figure out what his deal is. You meeting up with him might give us a lead." Marinette relaxed.

"So you're not mad?"

"Of course not. You're in charge on this case, remember? If you don't check in by midnight, I'll contact the night watch and send them after you, though," Alya told her. "And Damocles is at home, so I'm not going to bother him with this until tomorrow at the earliest."

"Thanks, Alya. I promise I'll tell you everything in the morning," Marinette added. "I have to go now."

"All right. Good luck!"

Marinette hung up and swallowed nervously. She just hoped this meeting would get enough results so Damocles wouldn't be too angry about her going off without his permission.


	5. The Rooftop Rendevous

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tumblr user black-cat-of-misfortune drew a thing! I asked for a cop!Marinette and burglar!Chat and they made an amazing piece of art!!! It's awesome and you should all check it out! I got permission to mention it here so I thought I would share how excited I am!  
> Here's the tumblr post:  
> http://black-cat-of-misfortune.tumblr.com/post/133414330470/for-allmycharactersare-dead-3-an-adorable-au

Marinette stepped onto the roof and scanned her surroundings for Chat Noir. She had stopped to buy something Alya had texted her about on her way to the rendezvous, so she was a little late, but she hoped she hadn't missed him. Seeing no sign of him in the light of the lamp over the door she had just walked through, she made her way to the edge of the roof and sat, dangling her feet over the edge. Hearing a low chuckle from below, she glanced down and saw the costumed thief perched on the railing of the balcony below her.

"Hello, my lady," he greeted her. "I was beginning to think you wouldn't show up." Before she could reply, he launched himself off the balcony railing, caught the edge of the roof, and flipped up onto it, landing neatly beside her. Marinette couldn't stifle her gasp at the stunt, and he reaction seemed to amuse him. "Don't worry, even if I fell, cats have nine lives," he joked. Marinette shook her head.

"You're not a cat. You're just a thief," she reminded him.

"But I'm a dashing, honorable thief," he protested, settling beside her and letting his feet dangle alongside hers. "I'm sure you've read whatever file your department has on me. You probably know all sorts of things about me, since I saw that profiler with your partner earlier. He's pretty good," Chat Noir added.

"So you were there, and they didn't notice you?" Marinette realized, shaking her head. "And you know Nino?"

"He's pretty well known in certain circles," Chat Noir replied.

"Like criminal circles?"

"Of course. Speaking of which..." He trailed off, his cheerful, flirty persona fading for an instant. Then he gave her a cocky grin and continued, "There's an up and coming criminal you'll want to keep an eye out for. She goes by Dorée." Marinette frowned. That name sounded familiar. Had she seen it in one of the files she had reviewed recently?

"I don't think I've heard of her," Marinette told him. "What's so dangerous about her?"

"She never gets her hands dirty, but the people who follow her have been responsible for a lot of violent robberies lately. That jewelry store robbery last week, the one where all the witnesses were killed? Her people did that. She finds the meanest, most skilled criminals and forces them to do what she says." Marinette raised an eyebrow.

"I remember that robbery; there were no leads on any of the robbers, so the case went cold. There was no mention of anyone called Dorée," she told him.

"There wouldn't be," he sighed. "Like I said, she never gets her hands dirty. I think she may also be manipulating officials," he added, studying her expression. Marinette wasn't sure how to respond. It sounded crazy, but he seemed to believe it.

"Why tell me, though?" she asked. He blinked.

"Isn't that obvious?"

"No. Why me?" she demanded. For a moment, she thought he was going to break his behavior pattern, but then his eyes brightened.

"I guess it's just your lucky day, my lady," he answered, his playful demeanor back in full swing. "Two presents in one day is a lot, but I do hope you'll accept."

"All right. I'll look into it," Marinette decided. "Now, why don't you give me a third present and let me arrest you for all the breaking and entering and petty theft charges against you?" Chat Noir laughed.

"You don't have your handcuffs," he pointed out. Marinette smiled slightly and reached into her jacket. Chat Noir reacted instantly, somersaulting backwards. She blinked and looked over her shoulder. He was crouching there, ready to bolt.

"Relax," Marinette laughed, "I'm just getting this." She held up a cell phone. "I just bought it. You always calling the station is going to cause problems eventually." She tossed the phone carefully, and he snatched it out of the air easily.

"While I'm flattered that my lady would buy me a gift, I'm confused," he admitted, glancing between the phone in his hand and the woman who still sat on the edge of the roof.

"I knew I wouldn't be able to catch you tonight, and you can't keep calling the station. So since Nino thinks you'll probably keep making contact with me until we do finally arrest you, I thought this would make things easier. My number is in there, so call me directly if you can't possibly resist the urge to leave me more presents," she told him, deciding not to mention that this was actually Alya's idea. His green eyes gleamed.

"I'm honored, my lady," he purred, standing and tucking the phone into his pocket. He stepped toward her and held out his hand. She considered for a moment, then took his hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet. He didn't drop her hand, though. Instead, he bowed until his lips brushed the back of her hand. Marinette couldn't suppress her blush completely, but at least it was dark enough this far from the lamp that he probably wouldn't notice. "I hope to see you again soon."

"Next time, I'll have my handcuffs," she warned. "And I won't hesitate to use them." He looked up at her and smirked.

"I look forward to our next meeting, then," he replied, finally releasing her hand. Marinette shook her head and walked past him to the door that led down into the building. She glanced back and saw him watching her from the edge of the circle of light, the smirk she was beginning to think was his default expression firmly in place.

Once the door closed behind her, leaving Chat Noir alone on the rooftop, the smirk dropped away, and he took the cell phone out of his pocket and studied it for a moment, then pulled up the contact list. There was only one number, with no name. He memorized the number, then turned the phone off and removed the battery before tucking the device back into his pocket. He didn't want to risk the police tracking him with it. He may have decided that Marinette would be the one to catch him when he was done, but he wasn't ready for that day to arrive yet.


	6. The Texts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is another short chapter, and I'm sorry, but I promise I'll update again later today or tomorrow.   
> In the meantime, have some shenanigans because I couldn't get this idea out of my head.

Marinette was adding last night's reports to Chat Noir's file when her cell phone chirped, alerting her to a new text message. She pulled it out of her pocket and frowned when she saw it was from an unknown number. She had saved the number for the phone she had given to the thief, and she hadn't given her number to anyone else recently. Maybe it was someone who had sent a test to the wrong number. She opened the message and stared at it.

'Are you a cat? Because you're purr-fect!'

Marinette shook her head; it must be a wrong number.

'You have the wrong number,' she texted back. Her phone chirped again, and the new message wasn't an apology.

'What do you call a cat that was caught by the police?'

'Wrong number,' she replied again.

Another text appeared: 'A purr-petrator!'

'Stop,' she texted, then started to put her phone away. It chirped at her again, and she scowled as she opened the latest message. She was going to block this number if this didn't stop soon.

'What else could you call a cat that was caught by the police?' Before she could decide whether or not to respond again, yet another message came through. 'Not Chat Noir, because my lady forgot her handcuffs!' Marinette stared at her phone screen. It was the thief. Chat Noir was sending her lame puns and cat jokes. It wasn't what she had expected from the flirtatious burglar, and she wasn't sure how to take this turn of events. Maybe he was trying out new facets of his gentleman thief persona.

"Marinette, is everything okay?" Alya asked. "Your cell doesn't usually go off that much."

"Everything's fine," she replied. "Just someone with a wrong number." Marinette gave her partner a reassuring smile, then typed out a quick reply to Chat Noir: 'I'm at work. Cut it out.'

'As you wish, my lady. To make up for bothering you, I'll leave you a present soon.' Marinette shook her head at the thief's parting message, then put her cell phone away. She needed to focus; Chat Noir aside, Marinette and Alya had paperwork to do, and they were scheduled to take out a patrol car after lunch. She didn't have time to worry about what Chat Noir would decide was a suitable present this time.


	7. An Uneventful Night

Adrien chuckled to himself, stretching lazily as he debated where to go for the night's adventures, his costume already in place except for the mask. He had promised the lady officer a present, and he didn't want to disappoint her. He knew she was the key to his continued freedom, but if things were going to work out, he would need to earn some form of her trust. Even if she only ended up using him, he needed her to believe what he told her.

"I shouldn't have mentioned Dorée," he grumbled out loud, his mood ruined. It was too soon; she clearly hadn't believed him, even if she had promised to look into it. But she had given him that cell phone, complete with her cell number. Maybe she did trust him, after all, in a way. After all, her trusting nature was the reason he had chosen her. He hadn't expected to run into her the other night, though. That had been sheer luck.

A feline cry drew him out of his thoughts, and he frowned at his pet, a black tomcat who had apparently decided Chat Noir needed to feed him again before the thief left for the evening. The thief shook his head and crouched to scratch his pet's ears.

"I just fed you, Plagg," he reminded the cat. Plagg, not impressed with this, voiced his displeasure and narrowed his bright green eyes at the human who was denying him food. "You're going to get fat," Adrien informed his pet, standing. "I'll feed you when I get back, okay?" The cat followed him to the balcony door, letting out a pitiful cry every few steps. Adrien ignored him, stepping out onto the balcony and closing the sliding door behind him before his cat could escape. He carefully fitted the mask onto his face, shook his head a few times to be sure the disguise wouldn't fall off, and Chat Noir hopped easily onto the railing. He decided to visit one of the upscale neighborhoods he hadn't hit yet, just look around and see what challenges a new area might offer. If he didn't think of a suitable present for Marinette by the time he was ready to go back to his own apartment, he would try something more cliche than information or a criminal to arrest.

He wondered idly what the lady officer's favorite flowers were as he climbed to the roof and took a deep breath of the cool night air.

\------------------------

Chat Noir picked up his present for Marinette, then hurried back to his apartment to remove his costume and feed Plagg, thoroughly worn out from his expedition to the new neighborhood. Nothing had really happened, but the exercise had worn him out. After setting the present where Plagg couldn't reach it and providing his glutton of a cat with something to eat, he changed out of his costume, then collapsed onto his bed. He had a few hours before he had to get up for work.


	8. The Coffee Shop

Marinette walked into the coffee shop down the street from the police station, fighting back a yawn. She'd been on edge the night before, expecting a call at any time about whatever present Chat Noir had in mind, but it never came. She usually dropped by this particular coffee shop closer to lunch time, but as she entered, the same two baristas were behind the counter. One was Nathanael, a man with bright red-orange hair, and the other was Adrien, a blonde. Marinette grinned as she approached the counter. Nathanael was sweet, and Adrien was nice, and absolutely adorable.

"Marinette! You're early today!" Nathanael exclaimed. "You want your usual?" She nodded gratefully and pulled out her wallet. "It's on the house," he told her, grabbing a cup and starting to make her drink.

"Nathanael, I insist on paying," Marinette replied firmly.

"You're our best customer. We can afford one coffee on the house," Nathanael insisted. Marinette turned to Adrien for help.

"You'll let me pay, right?" she asked. "I would feel bad taking a free drink." Adrien, who was usually the more reserved of the two, surprised her with a grin.

"Normally I would side with you, but he's right. You look exhausted," he told her. "You can accept what other people offer sometimes, you know," he added kindly, and Marinette smiled.

"All right," she agreed. "I didn't get much sleep last night," she admitted as Nathanael handed her the drink.

"Case keeping you up?" Adrien guessed. Marinette nodded and sipped her coffee.

"I kept expecting a call last night, but nothing happened," she explained. Adrien's expression flickered for an instant. Before Marinette could ask him what was wrong, Nathanael spoke up.

"Will you be back later for another round of caffeine, then?" he asked hopefully. Marinette considered for a moment.

"Probably. I'm going to need a lot of coffee to get through today," she sighed. "Stupid cat..."

"I thought you just had a bird, not a cat," Nathanael commented.

"It was a stray cat," Marinette told him. "I've been trying to catch him so I can take him to the shelter, but he keeps getting away." Adrien laughed at that, though there was something besides amusement in his eyes that she couldn't quite put a name to.

"It hasn't scared your bird, has it?" Nathanael asked.

"No, Tikki's not scared of any cat," she replied.

"I hate to bring it up, but don't you have to get to the station soon?" Adrien asked, glancing at the clock. Marinette blinked, following his gaze, then squeaked. She was going to be late!

"Yeah, I have to run," she said. "See you two later!" She left the coffee shop quickly, hurrying to the station, coffee in hand. When she walked into the station, though, she stopped in her tracks. Her fellow officers were clustered around her desk, but when she walked in, they pulled back to show her the reason for their grouping.

There was a bouquet of deep purple and pale violet tulips on her desk. When Marinette walked over and took a closer look, she saw a piece of pawprint stationary tied to the stems with black ribbon. She plucked the stationary from the flowers.

'My lady, I am truly sorry for disturbing you yesterday. Please accept these flowers as a token of my sincerity.' It was signed with Chat Noir's usual loopy calligraphy.

"This is what he meant?" Marinette exclaimed, staring from the note to the flowers and back. If it was anyone else, she would be flattered. But this was just embarrassing.

"Chat Noir sent you flowers," Alya observed, watching Marinette carefully.

"Apparently he did. Forget the whole gentleman thief thing, he acts like a stray cat trying to impress someone," she grumbled.

"You must not have much experience with cats," Alya replied. "That's not a stray, Marinette. That's a devoted house pet."

"I think you two are over reacting. Chat Noir is probably just trying out another path gentleman thieves sometimes take," Nino reassured them. Marinette tried to relax, to trust Nino's assessment, but she had a feeling there was more to this. She just wished she knew what.


	9. The Golden Note

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is back to Marinette's POV, but since so many people liked Adrien's POV, I'll be sure to include more chapters focused on him and what he's up to.

"Marinette, can you come here for a second?" Max called as Marinette was looking for a place to put the flowers from Chat Noir. She glanced at Alya, who had just answered the phone at her desk, then went over to Max.

"What can I do for you?" she asked.

"I've been keeping an eye out for anything that might be related to your case while I work on my own cases," Max told her. "And I found something weird. Kim and I have been looking into the death of a dug dealer. I thought maybe Chat Noir was involved, since we couldn't find any connection to anyone through the drugs, and the note itself gave us nothing."

"And Chat Noir did catch and turn in another criminal," Marinette murmured. "So you thought maybe he's killed other criminals, too?"

"Exactly. And Kim and I found a weird note in the dealer's apartment when we searched it. It's not like Chat Noir's calling cards, but maybe you could take a look at it?" he suggested hopefully.

"Wouldn't Nino be a better person to ask?" Marinette pointed out. Max nodded.

"I already asked him. He said I should show it to you. And since Chat Noir is giving you so many presents, I thought if you didn't know anything, then maybe you could ask him," he suggested. Marinette considered, then nodded.

"There's no harm in trying, as long as the chief approves," she agreed. "Can I see the note?"

"The actual note is in the evidence box, but I have a picture," Max said. Marinette walked around his desk to look over his shoulder as he pulled up the image. The note was written on what looked like shiny gold paper, written in neat, almost printer-perfect handwritting.

'Deliver a list of your customers to the vandal by midnight tonight. You know what will happen if you don't.' The message was interesting enough, but it was the signature that caught Marinette's attention. In sharp, pointed calligraphy was the name Dorée.

"You didn't get anywhere with anything on this?" Marinette asked. "Nothing on a vandal, or anyone called Dorée?" Max shook his head.

"We couldn't find any connection between our dead dealer and any vandalism in the city. We also came up with nothing when we tried to figure out who Dorée is," he admitted. "We didn't even find a list of customers, so either the guy didn't keep a list written anywhere, or her turned it over to whoever he was supposed to. Does any of this mean anything to you?" The older officer looked up at her hopefully, but Marinette shook her head.

"I don't know anything about a vandal, but I can definitely ask Damocles for permission to see if Chat Noir will tell me anything. As for Dorée, I've only heard that once, but I'll do some digging and find out," she promised. "I don't think Chat Noir is your killer, though."

"Nino didn't think he was involved, either," Max sighed. "Thanks for saying you'll try." Marinette smiled.

"It's no problem. Send me that picture of the note, okay?" she added. "I'll go talk to Damocles now." Max nodded and pulled up his email to send her the image, and Marinette walked over to Alya, who was finished on the phone. "What was that about?"

"Someone broke into an apartment in a building Chat Noir robbed last week," Alya told her. "It's probably just a coincidence, but I think it's worth checking out."

"Of course. I have to ask the chief something before we go, though," she replied. "Meet you at the car?" Her partner nodded her agreement and headed for the door, while Marinette went to Chief Damocles' office and knocked on the door.

"Come in," the chief called. Marinette opened the door and stepped inside. "Got an update on the Chat Noir case?" He didn't even look up from the report he was reading.

"Alya and I are going to check out another break-in in a building he hit last week," Marinette answered. "But that's not why I'm here." Damocles sighed and put down the report.

"Then what do you need?" he asked. Marinette hesitated, gathering her thoughts.

"I want permission to use Chat Noir as an informant. I think it would benefit other cases, and it might distract him from stealing. Also, he might let his guard down if he thinks we won't try to catch him because he makes himself useful," she explained. She held her breath, waiting as the chief thought it over.

"From what I've heard, he seems to be trying to impress you, so he might even give us decent information," Damocles agreed. "All right. You can even offer him a deal: when you do catch him, you can talk to the judge and see about letting him get away with fines instead of jail time." Marinette beamed.

"Great! Thanks, chief, I won't let you down!" she promised. She turned to leave, only to stop when Damocles spoke again.

"If Chat Noir does become your informant, he'll be your responsibility," he warned. "Use him, but don't let him get away with anything, or you'll be in trouble, too."

"Understood," Marinette answered, less excited but still determined to go through with it.

"Good. Don't keep Alya waiting," the chief added. Marinette nodded and hurried out of the office. On her way to the car, she sent a text to the number Chat Noir had used to contact her the day before.

'We need to talk, cat.'


	10. The Vandal's Identity

Marinette stepped out onto the balcony of the apartment that had just been robbed. Alya was inside, taking the apartment owner's statement. More than one item had been reported stolen, and Marinette hadn't seen Chat Noir's trademark calling card anywhere, but she'd decided to check the balcony anyway. She eyed the distance to the neighboring balconies thoughtfully, then looked up. To her surprise, someone was leaning over the railing of the balcony above her. Someone wearing a black mask, with black cat hears standing up from his blond hair. Chat Noir had shown up.

"Returning to the scene of the crime?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. He gave her a quick smirk.

"I didn't steal anything from that apartment," he told her. "The woman who lives there only has fancy costume jewelry. I'm pretty sure she doesn't actually have enough money to afford this place."

"Good to know. What are you doing here?" Marinette demanded, glancing over her shoulder to check on Alya. Her partner was still talking to the apartment's owner, who had apparently burst into dramatic tears.

"My lady summoned me, remember?" he answered cheerfully. Marinette frowned.

"I just said we need to talk, not that you should show up at a crime scene!" she snapped. Before he could reply, she continued, "I need information, and I have a deal for you." The thief tilted his head comically, green eyes sharp with curiosity.

"Would my lady like to join me on the roof, then?" he asked. "We can talk without you having to crane your neck so much." Marinette nodded, and Chat Noir's head vanished, presumably because he was making his way to the top of the building. She sighed and turned to go back inside, only to find Alya standing behind her. Marinette jumped; she hadn't heard her partner approach.

"Alya!" she squeaked. "Ah, I can explain!"

"No need. You took my advice, right?"

"Yeah. And Chief Damocles agreed to it," Marinette added hesitantly. "You should come with."

"You've got this," Alya said. "I'll finish up here; you go. If he cause any trouble, just call, okay?" Marinette couldn't help but laugh.

"That cat causes trouble every time he shows up. But I can handle him," she reassured her partner. Alya stepped aside, and Marinette walked past her into the apartment.

"Hey, Marinette?" Marinette paused and turned back to her partner.

"Yeah?"

"Be careful." Marinette nodded, then left. Alya watched her go. She waited a few minutes, then followed her. No matter how much conficence she showed in her partner, she wasn't going to let Marinette meet up with that thief a second time without backup.

"Here, kitty kitty kitty," Marinette muttered when she stepped out onto the rooftop, looking for the black-clad thief.

"I'm right here, my lady." She whirled and looked up. He was perched on top of the roof access, crouched like a cat ready to pounce.

"What happened to me not having to crane my neck?" she complained. Chat Noir chuckled and leaped off his perch, flipping in the air before landing lightly beside her. He leaned closer to her, until his bangs brushed her forehead.

"Is this more to my lady's liking?" he asked, his voice a low purr. Marinette couldn't stop the blush that erupted onto her cheeks, but she refused to back down. Instead, she took advantage of his momentarily limited range of vision and pulled out her handcuffs. Before he realized what she was doing, she seized his wrist and closed one side of the handcuffs around it.

"I have my cuffs this time," she reminded him, keeping a hold of the other cuff. He pulled back in surprise, blinking at the bright metal encircling his wrist.

"My lady is full of surprises," he mused. Then a wicked grin appeared on his face. "Does that deal you mentioned have something to do with fun uses for handcuffs?"

"That's so you don't run off halfway through our chat," she replied. "Unless you'd like to run around the city with your new bracelet."

"As much as I appreciate jewelry, my lady, I think collars fit cats better than bracelets," he said thoughtfully. Then his expression turned serious. "I won't run away, I promise. So if you could remove this...?" 

"Why should I believe that you won't run away?" she asked.

"I don't break promises, my lady. I'm an honorable thief, remember?" He met her wary gaze for a long moment, and she nodded slowly. He held up his wrist, and Marinette unlocked the handcuffs. "You mentioned a deal and information?" She put her cuffs away slowly, using the time to gather her thoughts.

"I want you to be my informant," she told him. "If you help me, get me information to help with different cases, then when the time comes, my chief and I will talk to the judge, get you a deal." For a moment, she wasn't sure if he would agree or not. But then he took her hand and bowed over it, kissing it like he had the last time they'd been face to face. Then he lowered himself to one knee, her hand still held gently in his.

"I would be honored to assist you any way I can," he said solemnly. "But not because of the deal." Marinette couldn't help but stare at him. He chuckled at her expression and stood, releasing her hand. "What information do you need?" It took a few seconds for Marinette to remember exactly what she had come here to talk about.

"Ah...a friend of mine's case might have something to do with Dorée," she told him. He tensed. "There was a note at a crime scene. Here, I'll show you," she added, taking out her phone and accessing her email. She pulled up the picture from Max and showed it to him. "Any idea what it means?" Chat Noir's eyes widened. 

"The vandal..." he murmured. "If it means who I think it does, I know them. There's a young artist who sometimes does odd jobs to make ends meet; his day job doesn't pay very well. I didn't think he would work with Dorée, though." Marinette frowned at the tone of the thief's voice.

"You sound like you know him well," she commented.

"I see him every now and then," Chat Noir admitted. "He's a good guy, really."

"Chat Noir, I need to know who he is. I need to talk to him," Marinette said gently. "I promise he won't get hurt; I just have some questions for him." The thief looked away, and she decided to try another tactic. "Look, if you don't want to tell me, I can't make you. Just don't give me the wrong name on purpose." His lips twitched slightly.

"Purr-pose," he chuckled to himself. "Don't make a big production out of questioning him, please. If Dorée thinks he's betrayed her..." Marinette smiled reassuringly.

"I said I won't let him get hurt. You're not the only one who keeps their promises, kitty," she added, trying to lighten the mood a little more. Something about Chat Noir being so serious about this worried her, but she wasn't quite sure why.

"All right," Chat Noir said at last. "He works at a coffee shop by your police station; his name is Nathanael." Marinette froze. Nathanael? Friendly, sweet Nathanael? He was just about the last person she would've expected to be involved in anything like this.

"I won't let anything happen to him," she promised. "Thank you." Something flickered in Chat Noir's eyes, but an instant later he was leaning forward to kiss her cheek before she could stop him.

"Anything to earn my lady's trust," he said lightly. Marinette shook her head, feeling her cheeks heat in spite of herself.

"I still don't understand why you're so fixated on me," she informed him. He chuckled.

"That's one question I can't answer just yet," he replied. "If that's all, I'll take my leave," he added. She nodded, then watched as he took off running, then leaped onto the roof of the neighboring building. Once he was out of sight, her shoulders slumped. She wasn't looking forward to questioning Nathanael, but she turned and went back into the building. Alya was waiting just inside.

"Let's get the evidence back to the station," Marinette said grimly, not really surprised that her partner was there. "Then I need to talk to Nathanael." Alya eyed her worriedly, but agreed and led the way.


	11. The Coffee Run

Marinette walked into the coffee shop and saw Nathanael alone behind the counter.

"Did Adrien take an early lunch break?" she asked.

"Something like that," he answered. "You want your usual?"

"Actually, I have a big order," Marinette admitted. "Everyone's been working really hard, so I thought I would surprise them with coffee. I'm going to need help carrying it to the station, though," she added, handing him a list of her coworkers' coffee orders.

"I'll help you carry everything," Nathanael offered immediately, scanning the list. "Adrien should be back by the time everything is ready."

"I'm back now," Adrien called, walking in and going behind the counter. "What's the order?" Nathanael handed him the list before starting on the first drink. The blond looked it over quickly, then focused on helping. Marinette took a seat at one of the small tables off to the side while she waited. She hoped Nathanael wouldn't be too upset when they got to the station.

"Marinette?" Nathanael called. She stood and went over to the counter to pay for the drinks. "Adrien said he doesn't mind if I help you take everything to the station," he told her. Marinette started to smile and thank Adrien, but stopped when she saw his expression. He almost looked...guilty. Like he'd done something he regretted. Before she could ask what was wrong, however, he smiled, all trace of worry gone.

"Great! Let's go, then," she said quickly. Nathanael picked up the cardboard carrier with four of the drinks, leaving two more for Marinette to carry. Together, they made their way out of the coffee shop and down the street to the station.


	12. The Refusal

Marinette watched as her coworkers descended on the coffee she and Nathanael had brought.

"I should get back to work," Nathanael said after a moment.

"Actually, I needed to talk to you about something," Marinette replied. Nathanael blinked.

"About what?"

"Do you work as a courier when you're not at the coffee shop?" she asked. Nathanael tensed, watching her warily.

"Who told you that?" he hissed. She held up her hands in a placating gesture.

"You're not in trouble," she assured him. "I just need to know if, as a courier, you're referred to as 'the vandal'." Nathanael studied her for a long moment, then looked away. Marinette took that as a yes. "Did you get a list to give to Dorée?" The barista didn't answer. "Nathanael?"

"Those flowers," he murmured. Marinette's brow furrowed in confusion.

"What flowers?" Nathanael pointed to the bouquet of tulips still on her desk. "Oh, those. What about them?"

"The dark purple stands for royalty or nobility. The violet is for faithfulness." His words were soft, but there was something sharp in his expression. "Who gave them to you?"

"That's not important," Marinette answered, looking to Alya for help. Her partner was listening to their conversation from her own desk. When she noticed Marinette's look, though, she shrugged. Alya wasn't sure what to say either. Finally, Marinette settled on directing the conversation back to the original topic. "I need to know if you got that list, Nathanael." She tried to keep her tone friendly and gentle, but he stiffened.

"How did you know about the courier thing?" he asked. His expression darkened with pain. "And why did you lure me here to ask about it?"

"I didn't want to bring you in like a suspect for questioning," Marinette told him. "I know you're a good person, and I don't care about the courier thing. I just need to know about the list." Nathanael's gaze fell on the bouquet again, and this time he seemed to notice the black ribbon the stems were tied with.

"It was that thieving cat, wasn't it?" Nathanael guessed. "He told you about me to gain your trust. Don't trust him; if he's willing to betray me, he could betray anyone."

"Nathanael, I'm sure he didn't want to hurt you. But this is important. Please help me." The redhead crossed his arms defensively.

"I'm sorry, Marinette, but I don't have anything else to say. I'm going back to work." He turned away and started for the door.

"We could hold you for obstruction of justice," Alya spoke up. Nathanael stopped in his tracks.

"No," Marinette said quietly. "That would only upset him more." Nathanael's shoulders loosened slightly, so Marinette decided to risk addressing him directly. "Nathanael, if you decide to share what you know, you know where to find me. If not, you're free to leave. I'm sorry," she added. The barista didn't answer, but his posture lost more of its tension, and he walked out of the station without another word. Marinette bit her lip and turned to face Alya.

To her surprise, Alya was grinning.

"That was so like you," her partner announced. "And I think some kindness will help him come around a lot better than if we'd arrested him and questioned him in the interrogation room." Marinette relaxed; Alya agreed with her decision, and wasn't mad that Marinette had vetoed her suggestion.

"I just hope it doesn't backfire," Marinette sighed.

"It won't," Alya assured her. "Probably. Anyway, that break-in is our case, even though it's not tied to Chat Noir. Let's go over the evidence and see if we get any clues, okay?" Marinette nodded, greatful for something to focus on besides how betrayed Nathanael had looked.


	13. A Fierce Battle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More Adrien POV! Enjoy!

Adrien kept an eye on Nathanael for the rest of their shift, worried about the redhead. Nathanael was ignoring him, going through the motions of preparing the various coffee drinks customers ordered, but without the quiet comments to Adrien in the pauses between orders. He was also drawing little cartoons on the sides of the cups when he wrote people's names, which Adrien knew his coworker did when he was upset. When their shift finally ended, Adrien decided it was time to get his friend to talk.

"Nathanael..." The redhead gave him such a dark, sad look that he trailed off. "Are you okay?" Adrien tried. Nathanael glared at him.

"You turned me in to the cops, Marinette thinks I'm a criminal, and you sent her a bouquet of flowers," he snapped. "Just because you're Chat Noir doesn't mean you should just betray your friends!" Adrien looked away.

"I knew Marinette wouldn't do anything to endanger you, and I sent her those flowers as an apology. You know why I need her trust," he said quietly. "But you're right. I shouldn't have told her about you being a courier without your permission. I'm sorry, Nathanael." There was a moment of silence as Adrien waited for his friend to respond.

"I do understand. But I'm still mad at you; you could have at least warned me," Nathanael sighed. Then he left, and Adrien had to wait for the next barista to come in before he could leave. By the time he could leave, his guilt had built up to the point of morphing into anger - at himself, not Marinette or Nathanael. He could have told Marinette he would ask the courier to contact her. He could had told her it would take him a while to track him down.

Adrien stopped at his apartment to feed Plagg and change into his Chat Noir costume. Then he climbed onto the roof via his balcony and looked around.

He was too restless and upset with himself to steal, so he settled for a run along the rooftops.

A shout caught his attention as he neared the area where he had encountered Alya and Marinette, and he paused at the edge of a roof and looked down into the alley below. Two rough-looking men had cornered what looked like a couple on a date. Chat Noir smiled grimly to himself. This would help work off his anger at himself nicely. He hopped off the roof, landing on the fire escape with a metallic thump. The thugs below tensed and looked around. But they didn't look up. So the costumed thief flipped himself over the rail and down onto the next level of the fire escape. He continued, descending before the thugs realized where the noise was coming from. He dropped from the last level, landing easily in a crouch The thugs whirled instinctively, then scowled and focused on him while their would-be victims fled.

"You're gonna regret interfering," the one on the left snapped. Chat Noir smirked, though he wasn't sure they could see the expression in the shadows of the alley.

"I can't possibly regret it more than I would regret letting you two run around frightening people," Chat Noir replied, staying low as he waited for them to make a move. They didn't disappoint, charging toward him together. The thief closed his eyes for an instant, gathering himself, then launched himself forward, somersaulting between them. He rolled to his feet and leaped on one thug's back before he could turn around, and managed to get an arm around the man's neck in a choke hold. The man gasped and clawed at Chat Noir's arm for a second, then had enough wits about him to throw himself backwards, slamming the thief into the wall. It was all Chat Noir could do to keep his arm in place; the impact with the wall hurt like hell.

The man he was choking collapsed, finally unconscious, and Chat Noir was relieved for a moment. He set about disentangling himself from his opponent, forgetting for an instant that there was a second thug.

A low whoosh alerted him to his mistake, and he threw himself sideways, his ribs protesting the sudden movement so soon after being slammed into the wall. It was better than being hit with whatever the second thug had picked up and decided to use as a weapon - was that a pipe?!

Chat Noir forced himself to his feet and faced his new attacker, eyeing the weapon in his hand. Adrenaline pumped through him, dulling the ache in his ribs. He crouched low like he was going to try rolling forward again, then leaped over his opponent's swing as he tried to slam it into the thief's body. Chat Noir landed squarely on his opponent's chest, sending them both crashing to the ground. The man yelled, and Chat Noir let out a huff of discomfort. Still, he managed to roll the man onto his stomach and pull his hands behind his back, tying his hands with black rope he kept looped around his waist. He made a mental note to buy more of the stuff, especially if he was going to be using it this way instead of to help him with a quick escape. Once that one was secure, he turned to the first man he had dealt with, who was still unconscious, and hauled him over to his partner in crime. Once they were both restrained, Chat Noir took out a calling card from his pocket - he kept several with his costume at all times - and tucked the pre-signed stationary between the rope and one of the first thug's arms.

"You two stay here and behave. I'm sure someone will notice you and call the cops eventually," the costumed thief told the second thug. Then he turned back to the fire escape and climbed the ladder, trying to ignore the pain in his body coming back as the adrenaline faded. He made it to the third level before he couldn't climb anymore. Luckily, there was an unlocked window on that level, so he climbed into the apartment.

For a moment he was worried he wouldn't be able to get out without waking up the occupants, but then he realized this apartment had a similar layout to his own. He made his way silently through the living area he found himself in, and opened the door as quietly as possible, peeking out into the hallway. Empty. He relaxed and stepped out, closing the door softly behind him. Now he just needed to get out of his costume and get home. He pulled the mask and cat ears off. He needed to add a bag of some sort to his outfit, or at least something with bigger pockets. Speaking of his outfit...he was filthy, covered in dirt from the alley, and he'd scraped his palm when he'd landed in the alley.

Adrien sighed and brushed some of the dirt from his clothes, then gave up and headed for the stairs, holding his mask and ears in one hand and his side with the other.

Work the next day was going to be hell, he knew. But at least it would be Friday; he just had to make it through one shift, and then he would have the weekend to recover. As long as he hadn't hurt his ribs too badly, anyway.


	14. An Unexpected Friend

Adrien stopped to lean against a wall, unable to walk farther. His ribs felt like they were on fire, and he couldn't quite catch his breath. He really needed to start carrying a weapon - a knife, or a baton, or something. Anything that would reduce the risk of him ending up wrestling with people again.

"Are you okay?" Adrien tensed, looking around, and winced at the pain. "I'll take that as a no." It was a woman's voice, and he could hear her moving closer. He almost recognized that voice, but couldn't place it. "That mask..." Too late, Adrien tried to shift the hand holding his mask and ears behind his back. "You're Chat Noir, aren't you?" Great. He was going to get caught, and he couldn't even run away. "Come inside, or someone will see you," the woman told him. His head jerked in surprise, and he realized he did recognize the person who now stood in front of him. It was the woman he had saved from a mugging the last time he'd taken on a more violent criminal. "You might not remember me, but my name is Mylène," she said gently. "I'm a doctor. Come inside and let me treat you," she urged. He eyed her warily, then realized he didn't really have a choice, and nodded reluctantly. She smiled softly. "Follow me."

Adrien followed her into the building he'd been leaning against, up to the fourth floor, where she unlocked one of the apartments and ushered him inside.

"Are you going to call the police?" he asked hesitantly.

"No, I'm not. Lay on the couch, okay? Where did you get hurt?" she asked, going into another room and coming back with a first aid kit.

"I think I hurt my ribs," he admitted, sitting gingerly on the couch and placing his mask and ears on the coffee table.

"Can you take off your shirt by yourself?" Mylène surveyed him critically. "I need to have a look." Adrien tried to obey, but the motion sent a fresh wave of pain through his body. "I might have to cut you out of it, then," she warned. Adrien grimaced; he actually liked this shirt. But he had more like it, so he could afford to lose one. He nodded his permission, and she set about carefully cutting the material from his body. "Oh, dear. You're pretty banged up. You've probably your ribs, if none of them are cracked," she informed him. "I'll get some ice, see if we can get the swelling and pain down." Mylène went to her kitchen, presumably to get the promised ice, and Adrien stared at his scraped palms. Bruised ribs were bad. He might not make it to work in the morning after all. He'd have to call Nathanael and apologize again. Mylène came back with several ice packs, a glass of water, and a bottle of painkillers. "Here. They're not very strong, but it'll be better than nothing," she told him. "You'd better stay here tonight. You shouldn't be walking around too much."

"I have work tomorrow," he told her, swallowing the pills she offered and downing the glass of water. She shook her head at him.

"No. You can use my phone and call in, but you should take a few days to rest," she told him. "Hold still while I get these in place." Adrien watched as she wrapped the ice packs in a towel, then gently wrapped it around his torso. He winced, then started to relax as the cold started to take the edge off the pain. She fixed the improvised contraption in place with some medical tape from the first aid kit, then turned her attention to the scrapes on his palms.

"Thank you," Adrien said quietly. Mylène gave him a smile as she finished cleaning and bandaging his hands.

"You're welcome. I'll take the ice off in about fifteen minutes," she added. "After that, I'll get you one of my boyfriend's shirts; they're big enough that you should be able to put them on easily. So you should try to get some sleep."

"All right," he agreed, deciding that once the medicine kicked in and he had a shirt, he would sneak out. He didn't want to cause he any more trouble, and he needed to get home. Plagg would sulk for days if Adrien wasn't home to feed him in the morning. He waited until Mylène went to her bedroom after making sure he was as comfortable as possible and closed the door, then waited an extra half hour, hoping she would fall asleep. Then he carefully got up, grabbed his mask and ears, and headed for the door. He glanced over his shoulder, then pulled the door open and found someone standing outside, hand raised to knock. He quickly hid his mask and ears behind his back.

"Adrien?" Oh, no. This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening. Why was Marinette here?


	15. Doctor-Patient Confidentiality

"Adrien, what are you doing here?" Marinette asked, blinking at him in surprise. Adrien hesitated, fingers tightening around the mask and ears he still held behind his back.

"Ah...well..." He scrambled for an excuse, anything that would sound reasonable and not reveal the fact that he was Chat Noir.

"Who's at the door?" Mylène had emerged from her room and walked up behind Adrien, leaning around him to see since she was too short to see over his shoulder. "Officer Dupain-Cheng! What brings you here?"

"I just came to check on you and ask you a few questions," Marinette answered. "Nothing official; I just wanted to see how you were doing. I'm sorry I dropped by so late, but I didn't get off duty until a littel while ago." Mylène beamed.

"Okay! Come on in!" the doctor said happily. Adrien tensed; if Marinette came in, surely she would see his mask and ears and put the pieces together. Before he could think of a way out of this mess, Mylène snatched them from his hand. She turned and walked toward the kitchen, her body shielding the costume pieces from Marinette's view. "Would you like some tea or something?" she called.

"That would be great," Marinette agreed, stepping past Adrien and giving him an odd look since he hadn't moved from his place in the doorway. He debated just leaving right then and there, but he couldn't leave his mask and ears. So he reluctantly closed the door. "Do you need any help?" Marinette called to Mylène.

"I'll help her," Adrien said quickly, hurrying into the kitchen after Mylène and trying to ignore the dull ache in his ribs from moving around. "Did you call her here to tell her about me?" he hissed under his breath when he caught up with the doctor.

"Of course not," she replied quietly. "I'm just as surprised as you are." Adrien noticed that she wasn't holding his costume pieces anymore.

"My mask..." he started to ask.

"Don't worry, I hid it and the ears," Mylène assured him, starting to prepare a pot of tea. "Go sit down before you hurt yourself more," she added. Adrien wanted to protest, but decided against it. Instead, he went back to the couch and sat gingerly. Marinette was seated in one of the chairs.

"I didn't expect to see you here, Adrien," the officer said. "I didn't think you and Mylène knew each other."

"We don't," he admitted. "She was just helping me out."

"He managed to hurt himself, and I couldn't let him walk around injured, so I brought him here to patch him up," Mylène explained, carrying a tray with three cups of tea into the living room. "I didn't even know his name until you said it a minute ago." The doctor handed Marinette and Adrien their cups, then sat on the couch beside Adrien.

"Thanks for the tea," Marinette murmured, taking a sip. "That was really nice of you to help him out," she added.

"I'm a doctor; helping people is what I do," Mylène replied with a smile. "So what did you want to ask me?" Marinette took another sip of her tea before answering.

"Have you ever seen a note written on metallic gold stationary?" she asked finally. Mylène frowned slightly and shook her head.

"I haven't. Why? Does it have something to do with Chat Noir?"

"Sort of," Marinette sighed. "It's not important though. Speaking of Chat Noir, has he tried to contact you at all?"

"No," Mylène answered steadily. "Do you think he would?"

"Our profiler said he might, since he helped you before. It's possible you've met him without the costume, and if you have, it might explain why he suddenly fought off a mugger when he could have been breaking into someone's house and stealing something," Marinette explained.

"Or maybe he just doesn't like violent crimes," Adrien suggested before he could stop himself. Mylène hid her expression by taking a drink of her tea, while Marinette studied Adrien critically.

"That's another explanation the profiler suggested. How did you...?"

"Your profiler is Nino, right? I went to school with him, and I still see him sometimes, so..." He left the end of that sentence open. It wasn't a lie, but if Marinette drew an incorrect conclusion from what he said, then Adrien wasn't at fault for that, was he?

"I guess that makes since. Anyone who's around Nino for long starts to think things like that," she mused, finishing her tea.

"Is there anything else I can help you with?" Mylène asked.

"Just call me if you see any golden notes, or if you see Chat Noir again," Marinette told her. "I would really appreciate it." The doctor nodded and set her cup on the coffee table.

"You should probably go home and get some rest," she advised. "I'll show you out." Marinette put her cup down as well, then stood and followed Mylène to the door.

"Thank you for answering my questions," Marinette said cheerfully.

"It was no trouble! Feel free to drop by anytime," Mylène added. The officer left, and once the door was closed behind her, the doctor turned and frowned at Adrien.

"You were trying to sneak out," she accused. Adrien looked away. "You need to stay here and rest."

"My cat needs to be fed in the morning," he protested. "He'll be mad at me if I'm not there." Instead of scolding him or being confused by that reasoning, Mylène laughed. "What's so funny?"

"Chat Noir has a pet cat," she giggled. Adrien, who was fully aware of the irony of that, sighed heavily. Nathanael had been amused by it, too. "Hey, don't worry about it. Do you have a key on you? My boyfriend can run over and feed your cat for you."

"Really? But you've helped me so much already, and I don't want to cause any trouble," he said.

"You saved me from being mugged, and I'm betting you got hurt helping someone else. So it's no trouble at all," she insisted. Adrien was too tired and sore to argue, so he took his apartment key from his pocket and handed it to her. "I'll just call my boyfriend and you can give him directions, okay?" Adrien nodded, not sure what other choice he had. Mylène went back to her bedroom to grab her cell phone. She dialed a number as she came back into the living room. "Hey, Ivan? Sorry to bother you, but I have a favor to ask."


	16. A Bored Cat

(5:30 am)

Adrien woke to hushed voices. He sat up quickly, staring around the apartment he didn't quite recognize. His confusion lasted for just an instant, then was washed away by a wave of crippling agony as his ribs objected to his movement. He bit his lip to keep from making any noise, but whoever was talking must have heard something, because the soft conversation stopped and the light came on.

"How are you feeling?" Mylène asked, leaning over the back of the couch and eyeing him worriedly. Oh, right. He'd ended up sleeping on her couch because he'd gotten injured in a fight.

"I feel like roadkill," Adrien admitted, his voice rough with pain.

"The painkillers are on the coffee table. Don't take more than three pills, okay?" the doctor added. "I have to go to work. You should call in sick for the day." Adrien wanted to protest, but reached for the bottle of pills instead. Even that much movement sent sharp pain lancing through him. Maybe he would call in sick after all. Nathanael would understand. "Use Ivan's phone to call in." Adrien nodded absently, and a cell phone was held out to him. He took it without really looking at the person giving it to him and dialed Nathanael's number. The call went straight to voicemail, so Adrien left a quick message.

"Hey, Nath, I'm really sorry, but Plagg is sick, so I can't come in today. If you cover for me, I swear I'll make it up to you."

"Plagg is sick?" Mylène repeated.

"Well I couldn't exactly leave a message with the truth," Adrien sighed. "What if someone else heard the message?"

"Fair enough. Get some rest today, okay? Ivan will get you something if you're hungry." Mylène turned to her boyfriend, who leaned down to kiss her. Adrien's eyes widened; Mylène's boyfriend was huge! The man was tall, broad, and looked fully capable of making sure the injured thief stayed where he was told to.

"Sure thing," Adrien agreed faintly, laying back down and wincing as his body informed him that any movement at all was a bad idea. Mylène left as the meds kicked in enough for Adrien to fall back to sleep.

(9:20 am)

Adrien stirred and groaned at the stiffness in his body. The medicine was still keeping the pain down, but movement was still difficult. He looked around, but didn't see Mylène's boyfriend. His mask and ears were on the table.

"Time to go home," he grumbled to himself, standing and headed for the door, costume in hand. He made it almost all the way to the door before he heard someone behind him.

"Where do you think you're going? Mylène told you to stay and rest," Ivan frowned. Adrien sighed. "I can make you something to eat," he offered. Adrien debated bolting out the door, but realized he probably wouldn't get very far, as stiff and sore as he was. So he went back to the couch and sat down. Ivan went to the kitchen to cook.

(12:45 pm)

Adrien was bored out of his mind. He had absolutely nothing to do. There was nothing good to watch on TV, and Ivan didn't talk much. Adrien wasn't sure what he would even talk about if Ivan was talkative, but it would be better than laying on Mylène's couch all day, right? He wondered if Plagg was getting impatient. He hoped the greedy feline didn't get into the bag of cat food, because Plagg would eat the whole bag and make himself sick.

Had Marinette found the thugs he had fought with last night? What if they had gotten away? He hadn't called the night shift to let them know where the men were tied up, so what if they got hurt or something? Would he be in trouble for that? That was a stupid thought, he realized; he was a thief. He was already in plenty of trouble.

"It's not like I really had a choice," he grumbled to himself. "It was this or work directly for Dorée."

"Who's Dorée?" Ivan asked. Adrien twisted around to stare at him, fear lancing through him with the discomfort of the motion.

"No one. And you should forget you ever heard me say that," Adrien said quickly. "For your own good." Ivan studied him seriously for a moment, then shrugged.

"If you say so. Mylène trusts you, so I do too," he told the blond. Then he went into the bedroom, and Adrien was left with his own thoughts, his own doubts.

Dorée was dangerous. He knew he was right to tell Ivan to stay away. But as Chat Noir, he had gotten Marinette involved on purpose. That wasn't fair to her, but what choice did he have? He needed help to bring Dorée down, and while Nathanael would be all for getting rid of her, Dorée watched the redhead too closely. It was too dangerous for Nathanael to try anything directly. Which left the sweet, trusting police officer who frequented the coffee shop. He had singled her out because he was sure she would trust him, would believe him when the time came. She had plenty of friends among her coworkers, so he hoped she would be safe. If she got hurt because he involved her, he wasn't sure he could forgive himself. But he had to do something. Right?

It was going to be a long, boring afternoon.


	17. Nathanael's Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think it's time everyone met Dorée! So this chapter is kinda short, but I promise to update quickly to make up for it!  
> And I promise there will be happy things soon, I just have to get a few more plot-related things done first.

Nathanael was having a terrible day. He'd woken up to Adrien's message about not being able to come to work. Plagg being sick was their agreed-upon code for Chat Noir related issues keeping Adrien busy, so the redhead was worried about his friend, but also still mad at him, and he wasn't sure what he was going to do at the coffee shop by himself all day. To make things worse, Marinette hadn't come in to get anything. She'd sent Alya instead. Was Marinette avoiding him now that she knew about his side jobs as a courier? He hadn't exactly left the station on good terms... The shop's door opened, drawing the barista from his thoughts.

"Good morning!" he greeted the person who walked through the door without looking up from checking one of the coffee machines. "What can I get for you?"

"You've been awfully friendly with the cops around here, Nathanael," she observed. Nathanael froze; he knew that voice, even though he had only heard it once before, when he had been told where to get future instructions. He slowly looked up. She wasn't a very impressive-looking woman, with a simple blond ponytail and pale blue eyes. Her clothes looked expensive, though, and her posture announced to the world that this was someone to fear. "You haven't let them find out anything important, have you?" The barista shook his head quickly.

"Of course not. I haven't told them anything," he assured her. Her gaze swept over him, then dismissed him and looked around the shop.

"Where's Adrien?" she asked, her lips curving downward into a pout.

"His cat is sick," Nathanael answered automatically. "Did you need me to pick something up for you? I didn't see any notes, and I'm sorry if I missed one."

"If you had missed an assignment, you would have heard about it much sooner," the woman informed him haughtily.

"Like the guy who was supposed to meet me the other day and never showed?" Nathanael muttered.

"What?" The woman's gaze sharpened. "What do you know about that?" Nathanael scrambled for an answer.

"One of the officers mentioned it, that's all. I don't know what happened, I swear, Dorée," he blurted out. Her face twisted into an ugly scowl.

"You were told never to call me that to my face," she hissed. "With a loose tongue like that, I don't think I believe you about not telling the cops anything important."

"I'm sorry, Chloé," Nathanael said. "I didn't mean to-"

"I think my assistant will have to pay you a visit when your shift here is over," she snapped. "To make sure you know your place." With that, the turned on her heel and stormed out, leaving Nathanael to wonder what her assistant had in store for him.


	18. The End of the Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I didn't update yesterday, and I'm sorry this chapter is short, but Thanksgiving has kept me super busy. I promise that I'll be back to regular updates in a day or two.

Marinette was leaving the police station on time for once, having dealt with two would-be muggers Chat Noir had left in an alley the night before. She had interviewed them, trying to get as much information as possible, but they hadn't been able to tell her much more about the costumed thief than she already knew, with one important exception: the two men were convinced they had managed to injure him. Marinette had tried to text him, but hadn't been able to reach him. So she headed for the coffee shop. Maybe Nathanael would know how to reach him.

As she approached the shop, she saw Nathanael leaving with a woman she didn't recognize, someone with bright orange hair.

"Nathanael!" she called. The barista paused and turned, but the woman gripped his arm and pulled him forward. "Nathanael, I need to talk to you!" The orange-haired woman glanced over her shoulder.

"Nathanael doesn't have time to talk to police right now," the woman snapped. Marinette frowned.

"Who are you?"

"Marinette, this is Sabrina," Nathanael said quickly. "I'm doing her a favor, that's all." Marinette's frown deepened; she didn't believe him.

"If you say so. Before you leave, could you tell me something quick?" she asked. Nathanael glanced at Sabrina for permission before nodding. Marinette hesitated, mind racing. She needed to ask him about contacting Chat Noir without arousing Sabrina's suspicions. "Remember that stray cat you were telling me about the other day?" Nathanel's brow furrowed, and he opened his mouth to ask what she was talking about, but then his face cleared.

"Oh. Yeah. What about him?" Marinette smiled, relieved that he seemed to understand.

"I was wondering if you had a number I could call to see about making adopting him after all," she said. Nathanael studied her for a moment, then nodded slowly.

"Yeah. Got some paper and a pen?" Marinette pulled out her phone and opened a new contact information page.

"Would this work?" Nathanael took the phone and typed in a number.

"If you don't get an answer, let me know. I'll put my cell in, too," he added, then handed it back.

"Thanks so much! Be careful," Marinette told him. "See you Monday?" The barista smiled slightly.

"Sure. See you." Then he turned back to Sabrina, and they walked away. Marinette watched them leave, biting her lip. She didn't feel right letting Nathanael go off with that woman. There was something about her... She glanced at the two new numbers in her phone, one saved with a blank contact and the other with Nathanael's name. Then she made a decision and dialed another number. "Hey, Alya, do you mind if I come in late tomorrow? I Need to check up on some things tonight, and it might get late."

Nathanael may not have been happy about going to the station, but she had potentially put him at risk by bringing him there. And Chat Noir was her informant; she had to keep track of him, keep him out of trouble. And honestly, at the end of the day, she had to admit that she considered Nathanael a friend, and Chat Noir was obviously trying to endear himself to her. She couldn't sit back and do nothing. She couldn't really follow Nathanael, not while she was still in uniform, but she could check on his location, make sure he got back to his apartment safely. She'd call him later. In the meantime, she was going to try to contact Chat Noir.


	19. A Slim Chance

When Mylène got home, she checked Adrien's injuries and announced that he could go back to his own apartment if he wanted to. Adrien had hurried home and found Plagg curled up beside his food bowl. The cat had let out a pitiful, dejected cry when he saw Adrien, who rolled his eyes.

"Mylène said she came by to fee you on her way to work. It's been what, eight hours since you ate?" he asked, filling the food bowl. Plagg set about devouring his meal, although he seemed to be ignoring Adrien. "Sulk away. It won't get you any more food than usual," the barista informed his cat. Then he went to his bedroom. Several cell phones were charging on his bedside table. Most were burn phones, ones that couldn't be traced back to him. One was the phone he had contacted Marinette with, another was the phone he usually kept on him when he was out dressed as Chat Noir. Those two had unread messages. Adrien checked the one he'd used to contact Marinette. She'd texted him, asking about the thugs he'd fought with in the alley. They must have told her they'd injured him. He sighed and checked the phone he used as Chat Noir. There were an unread messagefrom Nathanael.

'She knows. Her assistant is coming for me.'

"No..." This was his fault. He'd told Marinette about Nathanael, and Nathanael's visit to the station had to be what had gotten him in trouble. He had to do something. But what could he do? The phone buzzed, alerting him to another text from Marinette, this one on the same phone he used as Chat Noir. How had she gotten that number? Only Nathanael and Adrien's other underground contacts had it.

'Nathanael might be in trouble. Do you know a woman named Sabrina?' Adrien scowled. Sabrina...she was Dorée's assistant. Nathanael had known she was coming for him. Adrien picked up the phone he'd used to contact Marinette with before and replied to her message.

'We should meet up. There's a park near the station, the one with that big fountain. Let's meet there.'

'Okay. I'll be there soon.'

Adrien grimaced and checked on Plagg, who glared at him sullenly. He sighed and changed into a fresh black outfit, then donned his ears and mask. Maybe Marinette would be able to do something to help Nathanael. It was a slim chance, but it was all he had.


	20. The Plan

Marinette said on the edge of the fountain, waiting for Chat Noir to join her. Since he'd asked to meet in person, she was pretty sure he agreed with her that Nathanael was in trouble. But who was Sabrina? Did she have ties to Dorée?

"You're not wearing your uniform, my lady," Chat Noir observed as he sat beside her, careful not to jostle his bruised ribs.

"I figured you wouldn't want to be seen meeting a uniformed officer in public, especially if Nathanael really is in danger," she replied, shrugging. She'd just changed into the first thing she'd grabbed out of her closet; a pair of black jeans and a red sweater. She'd taken more time with the other supplies she'd brought. She had considered leaving her purse at home - no need to tempt the thief - but brought it anyway. She needed a way to carry her other supplies without anyone noticing. She didn't know what Chat Noir had planned, but she wanted to be prepared for anything.

"I appreciate the thought," the thief murmured. "About Nathanael...are you sure it was Sabrina?"

"That's what he told me her name was," she confirmed. "Is she connected to Dorée?"

"Sabrina is Dorée's right hand woman," Chat Noir replied. "She does a lot of the dirty work so Dorée doesn't have to." Marinette bit her lip.

"I'm sorry. This is my fault. I should have done a better job of keeping Nathanael safe after he came to the station," she whispered. Chat Noir seemed to hesitate, then put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into a brief hug, hiding a wince as his ribs protested the motion. Marinette stiffened at first, but then sighed and relaxed, accepting the comfort her was offering.

"We both made mistakes. I should have gotten the information you needed myself instead of putting Nathanael in danger by revealing his job as a courier. And maybe there was something more you could have done to protect him, but maybe there wasn't. Dorée has lots of officials under her thumb, so she might have found out anyway." There was a moment of silence as they both retreated into their own thoughts.

"What can we do to help him?" Marinette asked.

"Well, I happen to know where Sabrina usually takes people Dorée wants punished," the thief said. "I can take you there."

"We should call in the night shift for backup. They can raid the place," Marinette suggested.

"And have them arrest Nathanael too? Or worse, get him killed in the crossfire?" Chat Noir shook his head. "I don't want to risk that. There aren't usually more than one or two guards there, so we can handle it ourselves. Do you have some gloves and a mask?" Marinette blinked. She had suspected this might be his preferred method of helping Nathanael, but she hadn't expected him to suggest it so quickly. Good thing she was prepared.

"You mean you want to go in with no backup, fight our way to Nathanael, and haul him out?"

"That's the general idea, my lady," he agreed. "Are you up for it?"

"Are you? I was told you were injured," she said. She didn't like the idea of rushing in like a pair of vigilantes, but the thief had a point; a police raid would be risky for Nathanael, and they had already caused him enough trouble.

"Me? Injured? Even if I was hurt, I wouldn't let that stop me," he told her.

"I'm not stupid, cat," she snapped. "I was the way you sat down, and I noticed the way you flinched when you hugged me. You're hurt, and you're not in any shape to fight." The thief huffed indignantly, then stiffened as his sore body protested. "See?"

"I'm not going to just sit on the sidelines," he growled. "Nathanael is my friend, and I've already let him down this week." Marinette frowned thoughtfully. There had to be a way. "I'll take another dose of painkillers, and I'll be fine."

"We can try it. But I'm going to let my partner know what's going on. She can get help if we can't get in," Marinette decided. "And you hang back, let me handle it."

"But you aren't even wearing a disguise," he pointed out. "And I know you're a capable officer, but..."

"I'm better in a fight than I look," she informed him. "And I have weapons, unlike a certain cat who doesn't seem to have any claws," she added playfully. "As for a disguise..." Marinette opened her purse and pulled out a red and black mask. "I had this left over from Halloween a few years ago." She put it on, then pulled a pair of dark leather gloves out and donned them as well. "It's not much, but it's the best I had on such short notice," she explained. Chat Noir laughed, then clenched his jaw against the discomfort it caused.

"That works. Let's go," he urged. "Sabrina's place isn't far."


	21. The Rescue: Part One

"Seriously? This is where Sabrina does Dorée's dirty work?" Marinette stared incredulously up at what had to be the most average, generic apartment building in the city. It wasn't an upper class, expensive building, but it wasn't a cheap run-down place either.

"Well if it looked like the lair of an insidious criminal's sycophant, it wouldn't be a good hiding place, my lady," Chat Noir pointed out. "The guy at the front desk is a courier, like Nathanael, but he's loyal to Dorée. We'll have to get past him and find out what apartment Sabrina is - hey, where are you going?" Marinette gave him a reassuring smile and walked through the front door.

"Can I help you?" the scowling man behind the desk asked. Marinette leaned on said desk.

"Depends. Was the vandal brought in here today?" she asked, hoping this man with supposed ties to Dorée would recognize the name she'd used for Nathanael in her note to the dealer.

"Don't see how that's your business," the grumpy receptionist replied.

"I was told to take him once the assistant is done with him," Marinette replied, not glancing at the door when Chat Noir finally entered the building. "Should I wait here, or go see if they're done with him?"

"Never said he was here," the receptionist grumbled. "Hey, Chat, don't you have a necklace to steal or something?"

"I'm accompanying the lady tonight. She's new in town," Chat Noir responded easily. "So, where should we wait?"

"They're on the fifth floor. Don't know which apartment," the receptionist said finally. Marinette thanked him, then followed Chat Noir to the elevator. Once the doors closed and it started moving, the thief frowned at his companion.

"What do you think you're doing?" he hissed. "You can't just walk in and say whatever comes to mind!"

"I improvised. I've always been good at that," Marinette answered. "Besides, what was your plan? Knock him out?" Chat Noir started to reply, then stopped and pouted at her.

"It would've worked," he said. "Your plan only worked through sheer luck."

"Improvisation," she corrected as the elevator arrived. "Now, Sabrina and whoever is with her will know we weren't sent by their boss. So we can do this part your way," she told him. He grinned and stepped out of the elevator. She hurried to get in front of him. "I'm still leading. You're hurt, remember?" He pouted again, which made her shake her head at him. He didn't really have a good argument for him being the one to lead, though, so he stood back and looked around.

"Hey, that door has a do not disturb sign. Think they're in there?" He suggested, pointing. Marinette nodded and knocked firmly on the door. "Wait! We don't have a plan!"

The door opened, revealing an angry guard. Before he could say anything, Marinette had pulled a can of something from her purse and sprayed the guard in the face. He yelled and staggered backwards into the apartment and tripping over his own feet. He went down. Chat Noir was dumbfounded.

"Did you just...spray that guard with mace?"

"Well, it was that or kick him somewhere sensitive," Marinette replied, stepping inside. The thief followed. The guard was laying on the floor, wiping furiously at his eyes.

A second guard entered the room from another area of the apartment. When he saw Marinette and Chat Noir, he pulled out a knife and advanced on them.

"I really need to get a weapon," the thief muttered. Marinette eyed her can of mace, then put it back in her purse and pulled out her taser. "What the hell? Do you have an arsenal in there?!"

"Just a few things lots of women carry to stay safe," Marinette replied. The guard saw the taser and stopped. "Let the kitty tie you up nice and easy, and I won't electrocute you," she offered. The guard shifted his hold on his weapon.

"Get out of the way!" Chat Noir yelled, reaching for Marinette and pulling her sideways. There was a thud, and the knife embedded itself in the wall behind where Marinette's chest had been an instant before.

"Thanks," she gasped.

"Anytime, my lady," he replied. The guard, having thrown his primary weapon, reached for another knife. Chat Noir darted forward and seized the guard's wrist before he could pull it out, then wrenched the man's arm behind his back and pressed him against the wall.

"I need more rope," Chat Noir grumbled.

"Just knock him out," Marinette replied. "Wasn't that your original plan?" The thief smirked.

"And you made it sound like such a bad plan. But now you've come to see things my way," he commented, wrapping his arm around the guard's neck in a choke hold until he went limp. "There. Now let's get Nathanael and go."

"You're forgetting something," Marinette said. A slight noise in the direction the second guard had come from made Char Noir drop his captive and turn around. Sabrina stood in the doorway.

"What do you think you're doing?" Sabrina demanded, scowling at them.


	22. The Rescue: Part Two

"What do we think we're doing?" Marinette echoed incredulously. "You hauled a man away because he took coffee to some cops. What do you think you're doing?"

"I brought the vandal in because he's suspected of betraying Dorée," Sabrina answered. "He has to be questioned." Marinette noticed that Sabrina had rolled the sleeves of her sweater up, revealing an odd piece of black fabric attached to her forearm.

"You've had plenty of time to talk to him. Hand him over to us. Now," Marinette ordered. Chat Noir eyed Dorée's assistant warily, but stayed silent. Marinette's tactics had worked on the receptionist, and she had taken the first guard down effectively. The guy was still laying on the ground, trying to get the mace out of his eyes.

"I don't think so," Sabrina replied coldly, pulling a thin metal spike from the fabric on her forearm.

"Down!" Marinette ordered as Sabrina launched the spike. Marinette threw herself sideways, knocking Chat Noir out of the way. He yelped and stumbled, and the spike embedded itself in the wall behind them. Sabrina reached for another one, and Marinette darted forward, grappling for the weapon. She managed to tear the fabric - it had to be some sort of sheathe - from the other woman's arm, but not before Sabrina had a second spike in her other hand. Sabrina raised the weapon, preparing to plunge it into Marinette's body.

"No!" Someone grabbed Sabrina's wrist from behind and yanked sharply, pulling her off balance. Marinette took advantage of Sabrina's surprise and plucked the spike from her hand. "Chat Noir, got any of your rope?" Marinette stared at the person who still gripped Sabrina's wrist as Chat Noir shook his head. "That's okay. We can use the stuff she was going to tie me up with."

"Nathanael! You're okay!" The barista offered a slight smile as he pulled Sabrina's hands behind her back. Chat Noir slipped past them and gathered some rope from the room beyond, then used it to help Nathanael tie Sabrina up.

"Let's get out of here," the thief suggested. "Before the guards recover. We can talk later."

"The guard thinks we're taking custody of you for Dorée," Marinette said as the three of them left the apartment. "So is it all right if we...?" Nathanael nodded. Marinette and Chat Noir each took one of his arms and escorted him out of the building. The receptionist only nodded to them as they passed. Once they were out of the building and down the street, Marinette released Nathanael's arm and stepped in front of him, studying him in the light from a street lamp. He waited patiently as she cataloged his visible injuries. There were a series of thin scratches down his neck, and he had what looked like a dark bruise forming on one cheekbone.

"I'm fine, officer," he assured her. "She didn't have time to get into her full routine." Marinette started to respond, then stopped and frowned.

"Officer?" she repeated. Nathanael let out a quiet chuckle.

"If you're planning to use that disguise again, you'll need a better mask, and maybe a different hair style," he told her. "Chat Noir's mask is special. It's designed to alter the way light hits his face, so he looks different. Yours doesn't do much to disguise you, Marinette." The officer stared at him, then at Chat Noir, who grinned and shrugged, then winced.

"Nathanael helped me order my mask. I don't know where he got it, but maybe he can get you one, too," the thief suggested. Marinette rolled her eyes.

"I'm not a gentleman thief; I don't need a disguise like yours," she pointed out.

"We made a great team, though," Chat Noir replied. "You could switch sides and roam the night with me, taking anything our hearts desire, my lady."

"Absolutely not. I know what side of the law I'm on, kitty," she informed him. "Now, let's get you two to a doctor. Nathanael's scratches need to be looked at, and I think your injuries need to be looked at if they haven't already, Chat Noir." The two men exchanged uncertain glances, and Marinette sighed. "I know, not to a hospital. that would be risky, right?"

"Right," Nathanael agreed. "But really, Marinette, I'm fine."

"Me, too," Chat Noir chimed in.

"Neither of you is fine. I know a doctor who might be willing to help," she told them. She turned her cell phone on - she had turned it off so she wouldn't get any calls during the rescue - and called a number she'd saved. "Hey, Mylène. Any chance I could get you to have a look at a couple friends of mine? They got in a fight and refuse to go to the hospital."


	23. Medical Attention

Mylène was just settling in for a relaxing movie night with Ivan when her phone rang. She shot her boyfriend an apologetic look and checked the caller ID. Marinette was calling her.

"Good evening, Officer. Can I help you?" Mylène asked.

"Hey, Mylène. Any chance I could get you to have a look at a couple friends of mine? They got in a fight and refuse to go to the hospital," Marinette answered. Mylène blinked.

"Sure. Can you get them to my apartment, or do you need me to come meet you?"

"If you could meet me at my place, that would be a good halfway point, actually. I'll text you the address if that's okay."

"Of course. I'll be there as soon as I can." Mylène hung up, then turned and kissed Ivan's cheek. "Someone's been in a fight. They need help," she told him.

"I'm coming with you," Ivan replied. "You're tired; I'll drive you, and you can rest on the way." Mylène smiled softly and hugged him.

"That way, we can bring more supplies, too," she agreed. "Thank you!"

Fifteen minutes later, Ivan parked their car outside Marinette's apartment building. He carried his girlfriend's first aid kit in, and Mylène followed. Marinette was waiting for them in the lobby/

"Thanks for coming, you two. I took them up to my apartment already. This way." The officer led them to her door, on the seventh floor.

"You didn't say who it was that..." Mylène trailed off when Marinette opened the door and stepped aside, revealing Nathanael in the kitchen, holding a glass of water. Chat Noir was on the couch, mostly out of sight because the couch faced away from the door, but he raised his hand so Mylène could see it and waved.

"Hey, doc," Chat Noir called. "Sorry I didn't rest up like you said." Mylène gave Chat Noir's visible hand a dark glare.

"I'll deal with you and whatever you've done to your poor ribs in a minute. You." The doctor turned her glare on Nathanael and pointed to a chair. "Sit. And tell me everywhere you're hurt." Marinette suppressed a giggle as the barista obeyed meekly. "Officer..."

"Call me Marinette," she said quickly. Mylène nodded.

"All right. Marinette, help me with Nathanael. Ivan, have a look at Chat Noir. See if he's hurt anywhere besides where he was before, please," the doctor requested. Her boyfriend nodded, set the first aid kit on the kitchen counter, and went to the thief on the couch. Marinette followed Mylène to where Nathanael was sitting. "What on earth happened to you?"

"Doesn't matter," Nathanael murmured. "It's just a few scratches, and some bruises. Nothing to worry about." Mylène shook her head at him, then gently lifted a hand to his chin to tilt his head so she could get a better look at the scratches on his neck. As soon as her fingers touched his skin, however, the redhead flinched away. The doctor pulled her hand back, her brow furrowing in concern.

"If it was just a few scratches, you wouldn't be so nervous about a stranger touching you," she stated.

"I'm fine, really," he insisted. "My neck's just...sensitive right now. Sorry."

"I don't believe you. Marinette can probably clean and bandage up your cuts if you want," Mylène suggested. "It seems like you know her better."

"She comes in for coffee every day," Nathanael replied. Then he seemed to brace himself. "I'm okay now, I promise." Mylène studied him for a moment, then sighed.

"Marinette, I need some of those alcohol wipes," the doctor said. Marinette opened the kit and fished out a handful of individually packaged wipes, opened one, and handed it to Mylène. "Thanks." Nathanael was tense, unmoving as his wounds were cleaned and bandaged. Mylène worked efficiently, then had him stand and stretch while she watched for any signs of serious injuries concealed by his clothes. "All right. I need to check on the other one now. Marinette, can you stay with him?" The officer nodded, and Mylène went to check on Chat Noir, leaving Marinette and Nathanael in the kitchen.

"Are you okay?" Marinette asked quietly. Nathanael gave her a wavery smile.

"Of course I am," he assured her. "Thank you for coming to get me."

"It was my fault you were in trouble in the first place," she pointed out. "But I would have come for you anyway. We're friends, aren't we?" Nathanael nodded, then paused when he noticed she kept glancing toward the couch. She was worried about the thief. Nathanael pushed down a sigh. Of course she would worry about Chat Noir. Adrien's alter ego was dashing, helpful - to her at least - and mysterious. He was interesting. They had fought their way to rescue Nathanael together. And Nathanael himself was just...the barista with a secret that had gotten him in trouble. At least she cared enough to get him away from Sabrina and those horrible spikes of hers.

Nathanael shuddered, lifting one hand to gingerly touch the bandages on his neck. He never wanted to feel that helpless ever again, never wanted to feel metal on his skin like that. Ever. Again.

"Nathanael?" He shook his head to clear his thoughts. Marinette was watching him worriedly. His stomach fluttered; she was completely focused on him, at least for the moment.

"I'm fine. But...I don't really want to walk home alone," he admitted. Marinette gave him a kind, sweet smile.

"Then you can stay here, or I bet Mylène and Ivan would be willing to drive you," she suggested. Nathanael couldn't help but smile back as best he could.

"Thanks."


	24. The Suspicions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got caught up in yesterday's countdown week prompt and forgot to update this story. And now I don't know what to write for today's prompt, so this chapter is short. Sorry about that. I promise more updates soon!

Marinette sighed as she pulled her bath robe on over her nightgown. Nathanael was asleep on the couch, and Chat Noir was on an air mattress in the living room. Mylène and Ivan had left already, but the thief and the courier had decided to stay the night. Marinette walked quietly into the living room and studied the sleeping men. It was dark, but she could make out a few details. Chat Noir's blond hair was a mess, and Nathanael was shifting restlessly. She hoped he wasn't having a nightmare. A soft grunt of discomfort drew her attention back to the thief. He couldn't be very comfortable; Mylène had said he had bruised ribs, an injury he got before they had rescued Nathanael. That had to be the injury he'd gotten fighting those would-be muggers the other night, the reason he'd been moving so gingerly earlier.

Mylène had known about the bruised ribs, hadn't questioned them despite Marinette having gotten through the rescue without a scratch. The doctor had known about the injuries before she got to Marinette's apartment.

Marinette remembered another blond man Mylène had treated recently: Adrien, the barista from the coffee shop by the station. Now that she thought about it, Adrien and Chat Noir were the same height, and the same build, as far as she could tell without seeing them both shirtless. Mylène had said she hadn't known Adrien's name until Marinette told her what it was, but she had seemed comfortable with a stranger in her apartment, some random man she'd seen injured on the street.

Unless he hadn't been a random stranger. Marinette crouched beside the air mattress, near Chat Noir's head. She had the impression that Adrien and Chat Noir had differently shaped faces, but Nathanael had said the mask was designed to subtly alter the thief's features so he wouldn't be recognized. Chat Noir knew Nathanael well, knew he worked at a coffee shop - a coffee shop near Marinette's station. He wouldn't tell her why she was the one he contacted. But there had to be a reason. Maybe he knew her before he encountered her while he was Chat Noir. Maybe he knew Nathanael because their day jobs were at the same coffee shop.

"No wonder he looked guilty when I asked Nathanael to come with me to the station," Marinette murmured, standing. She walked to her bedroom, her mind whirling. She had no proof, but she was sure she was right. Adrien was Chat Noir. Now she just had to decide what to do with this information.

Unknown to Marinette, back in the living room, Chat Noir's green eyes opened and stared at the ceiling. He didn't know if she had figured it out all the way or not, but he was sure that she suspected. Now he had to wait and see what she did with her suspicions. He grimaced. It was going to be a long night. And Plagg was going to sulk even more tomorrow.


	25. Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here we find out what happened to Nathanael while Sabrina had him, courtesy of nightmares.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating and warning change is because of this chapter. Maybe I'm being overly cautious, but I thought it would be better to be safe.

Nathanael was paralyzed with fear. He was back in that room, his arms held behind his back by one of Sabrina's guard. He struggled, but the larger man's grip was too strong. Something cold and pointy pressed against his neck, just below his jaw. Nathanael froze. Sabrina had stepped up beside him and pressed one of her signature metal throwing spikes to his throat.

"What did you tell the cops?" Sabrina demanded. Nathanael was silent, trying to fight back the fearful tremors in his muscles. This was a dream. It had to be; this had already happened, and Marinette and Adrien had rescued him. "Answer me!" Nathanael scrambled for something to tell her. Even if this was a dream, it felt real.

"I didn't tell them anything," he said. Sabrina put more pressure on the spike, and it broke the skin. Blood welled up around the weapon's point, and Nathanael flinched. "I swear, I didn't give them any information."

"I don't believe you," Sabrina told him. Then she dragged the weapon downwards, leaving a long, shallow cut on the side of his neck. Nathanael hissed in pain. He knew the wound was barely more than a scratch, but his neck was sensitive; it hurt, damn it. Even if he was dreaming.

"They asked me questions, but I didn't answer. I left," Nathanael insisted as Sabrina lifted the spike's point away from his skin. How many cuts had she given him before he'd been rescued? Sabrina pressed the spike against his skin again, this time beside the top of the first cut.

"What did they ask you about?" she inquired. Nathanael hesitated. Surely, any second they would be here to save him. Any second, he would be saved. Sabrina cut his neck again. He slipped into a daze, despite trying to remind himself that this was just a dream. A nightmare. He would wake up, and he would be safe. Another cut, and he found himself telling her that Marinette had asked about his being the vandal. Sabrina didn't like that news; she pulled her weapon away and wiped it clean, her expression unreadable. "Punish him for being discovered," Sabrina ordered. The guard threw Nathanael against the wall hard enough to knock the breath out of him, then kicked him harshly. Nathanael curled into a ball, trying to shield himself from some of the blows that would be hitting him shortly.

Wasn't this where he'd been rescued? A commotion in the other room had made Sabrina send the guard to investigate. Then Marinette had been fighting Sabrina, and Nathanael had gotten up and stopped Sabrina from stabbing Marinette with the spike.

But this time, instead of reliving his rescue, Nathanael's nightmare looped back. He was being held in place, and Sabrina was asking him what he told the cops. Pain. Questions. Pain. An endless loop, and Nathanael eventually forgot that he had been rescued, that he was just reliving this. After all, Adrien, as Chat Noir, had betrayed him once. Why would he rescue him? Why would he endanger Marinette to help Nathanael?


	26. An Alliance

Adrien woke to a soft chirping noise and looked sat up slowly, careful of his stiff, still-injured body. For a second, he wasn't sure where he was. Then he remembered rescuing Nathanael with Marinette, going back to the officer's apartment to meet Mylène, who had patched them up, and hearing Marinette's comment about guilt before she went to her own room to sleep.

Adrien paled when he remembered that. He had no idea if Marinette had done anything to confirm her suspicions overnight, and no idea what to do about those suspicions. If he confronted her, he risked confirming them. If he didn't say anything, he risked her confirming them on her own. He was trapped.

The chirping noise recaptured his attention, and he scanned the room again. This time, he noticed a large bird cage in the far corner of the living room. Inside was a red and black bird who appeared to be singing its heart out to greet the morning. Adrien blinked. He remembered Marinette mentioning her bird a few times when she was at the coffee shop. What was its name, though?

"Tikki, shh," Marinette whispered, stepping into the living room. "You woke up Chat Noir, and you're going to wake up Nathanael too!" Adrien started to tell her that Nathanael was usually a pretty heavy sleeper, but a quiet whimper from the direction of the couch stopped him. Marinette paused, too, and leaned over the back of the couch to check on the redhead. "He looks like he's having a bad dream..." She reached over and gently shook the barista's shoulder. "Nathanael? Wake up."

Adrien stood, wincing as his ribs reminded him that moving wasn't something he was supposed to be doing a lot right now, and walked around the couch. Nathanael was twitching in his sleep, his head shifting from side to side as though trying to avoid something. Adrien's gaze fell on the bandaged cuts on his friend's neck.

"Nathanael, wake up," Adrien urged as Marinette continued trying to gently shake him awake. Marinette's hand slipped, and her finger brushed the bandaged on his neck. Suddenly, Nathanael bolted upright with a strangled shout. Marinette jerked her hand away.

"I'm sorry!" she exclaimed. "I didn't mean to scare you!" Nathanael sat there, panting slightly, his eyes darting around the room. After a moment, he groaned and flopped back down.

"Nathanael? You okay?" Adrien asked. His friend lifted a hand to his bandaged neck, then slowly nodded.

"I'll be okay," Nathanael answered. "Don't worry." He glanced at Marinette, who was watching him worriedly. "I mean it. It was just a bad dream."

"Want to talk about it?" she murmured. Nathanael shook his head. All three were silent for a moment. Then Tikki the bird chirped. Marinette's face lit up. "I have an idea!" She went over to the bird cage and opened it. When she returned, Tikki was perched on her finger. "Here, maybe Tikki can help you feel better." Marinette gently took Nathanael's hand and transferred the little bird to him. The barista stared at the animal for a moment, then carefully stroked the feathers on the bird's head. Tikki chirped again, and a smile tugged at the corners of Nathanael's mouth.

"I'll make breakfast," Adrien volunteered. He needed to get home and take care of Plagg, but he also needed to see how Marinette would act now that she suspected his true identity.

"Breakfast would be great. I'll help," Marinette added. "Since it is my kitchen. You probably won't be able to find anything on your own, kitty," she teased. Adrien grinned and followed her to the kitchen, leaving Nathanael gently petting the bird. The blond thief lifted a hand to the mask he wore as he watched Marinette get out ingredients and cooking utensils. He was debating mentioning what he had heard her say last night when she turned to him and crossed her arms. "I trust you, Chat Noir," she said quietly. "And I did some thinking last night. I think I figured out who you are, but I'm not going to look into my theory yet." Adrien tensed, studying her carefully. "What happened to Nathanael convinced me that Dorée and her people are dangerous. They're the priority, in my opinion. Once we've found them and made sure they can't hurt anyone else, then I'll check my theory. And when I find out for sure who you are, then I'll arrest you for the charges against you."

"As you wish, my lady," Adrien agreed, relieved. He didn't have to confirm or deny her suspicions, because she hadn't voiced them. And she trusted him without knowing who he was. Best of all, she had decided on her own to go along with what he needed her to do: take down Dorée.

"So we have a deal?"

"We already had one," Adrien pointed out. "I think this is more of an alliance." Marinette smiled at that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to apologize to Nathanael and all the people who like him for everything I've put him through so far. I would also like to apologize for any potential sadness from everything that's going to happen before this story ends.. I am sorry.   
> Sort of.


	27. The To-Do List

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a short chapter while I try to figure out to do for today's countdown prompt.

Chat Noir left after breakfast, saying he had to take care of his cat. He offered to walk Nathanael home, but the barista declined. Marinette watched the redhead as she did the dishes. Nathanael went back to Tikki's cage, where the little bird had waited while they ate.

"You can take her out again if you want," Marinette called. Nathanael hesitated, then opened the little door and reached into the cage. Tikki hopped onto his hand, and he carried the bird over to the couch and sat down, gently stroking her feathers.

"Thank you for letting me stay," Nathanael said quietly. He didn't say that he was grateful she and Chat Noir had woken him from his nightmare, but he didn't need to. Marinette understood.

"It's no problem." Marinette hesitated, then went over and sat beside him. "Do you want to file a report about what happened?" Nathanael shook his head.

"That would just get me in even more trouble with Sabrina and her boss," he said. Marinette resisted the urge to sigh. She was sure that if Nathanael filed a report, she and Alya could arrest Sabrina and get information about Dorée. Without a report from the barista, Marinette or Chat Noir would have to report it, which would mean admitting they were there. Marinette would get in trouble for acting on her own when she was off duty, and Chat Noir would risk getting caught. Just as Marinette was wondering if maybe it would be worth the punishment to report the incident herself, Nathanael spoke again. "I can tell you about Dorée's activities, though."

"I thought you didn't want to talk about that," she said.

"I didn't want to get on Dorée's bad side. But since I'm already there, I might as well help you catch her before she sends Sabrina after me again," he replied. Marinette smiled.

"All right. Do you mind if I call Alya and ask her to come here?" she asked. Nathanael shrugged and kept petting Tikki's feathers.

"If you think it'll make it easier to catch Dorée," he agreed. Marinette got her cell phone out and called her partner.

"Hey, Alya? Could you come to my apartment? I've got a lead," she said when Alya answered.

"Marinette? It's Saturday," Alya grumbled. "Wait. A lead on what?"

"You'll have to come over and see," Marinette told her cheerfully.

"Okay, okay. I'll be there in fifteen minutes," her partner said before hanging up. Marinette went back to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. It wouldn't be as good as getting something from Nathanael and Adrien at the shop, but it was good enough for a Saturday.

When Alya arrived, Marinette was seated on the couch beside Nathanael again, and Tikki was back in her cage. Nathanael had been reluctant to part with the little bird, but Tikki had gotten restless just sitting on his hand.

"Marinette, why is Nathanael on your couch?" Alya asked. "Did you two...?"

"Alya, focus. He has information on Dorée for us," Marinette told her.

"Dorée? Like the supposed criminal mastermind Chat Noir wants you to catch? The one we asked Nathanael about the other day, and he walked out on us?" Alya questioned, sitting in a chair facing them.

"I didn't want to risk her thinking I betrayed her," Nathanael explained. "But now, no matter what I say, her assistant thinks I'm talking to the cops. So I might as well do it and help you catch them before..." He trailed off, lifting one hand to the bandages on his neck. Alya noticed the movement.

"You're injured," she observed. "Did this 'assistant' do that to you?" Nathanael nodded, and Alya's eyes hardened. "All right. I'm in. Let's catch them and lock them away for so long their skeletons won't even get parole." That made Nathanael smile a bit.

"Dorée never gets her hands dirty, and she uses that nickname to keep anyone from tying her to the people who do her dirty work for her. Her real name is Chloé Bourgeois, and she uses blackmail and bribery to control lots of officials in the city. Even your station chief, Damocles, is under her thumb, which is probably why she found out I was at the station," Nathanael said, his voice shaking when he mentioned Dorée finding out about his visit. "I don't know what all she has her hands in, but I've delivered messages to lots of officials from her."

"How does the drug dealer fit in?" Alya asked while Marinette tried to process the implications of what she'd just heard.

"Supposedly, he deals to some politician's kid and their friends. That's why she wanted his client list." Alya and Marinette exchanged thoughtful glances.

"Can you give us a list of people you've given messages to?" Marinette asked. Nathanael nodded.

"Give me a pen and paper, and I'll give you as many as I can remember," he answered. "I can call another courier I know and see if they have anything to add."

"Chat Noir can probably give us some names, too," Alya mused.

"Probably. I'll ask him," Marinette decided.

"I'll call Max, see if he and Kim have found anything on their golden note yet," Alya added. "And then I'll call Nino. Maybe he can profile Dorée - Chloé - for us, see if we can figure out a way to bring her down."

"We have to get Sabrina, too," Nathanael spoke up. "Without those two, anything they have in motion will probably fall apart."

"All right. We have our to-do list," Marinette said. "Let's get to work."


	28. The Not-so-Shortlist

Marinette stared down at the list in front of her. Every name on it had a title or position next to it, from city officials to executives of big corporations in the area, to small business owners, to petty criminals.

"How have we not heard about this before now?" Marinette whispered.

"Because that's how Dorée works," Nathanael said. "You saw my neck. And that was before Sabrina got into her routine, and I was only suspected of turning on her boss. The people who've actually betrayed Dorée...well..." Marinette noticed a name at the bottom of the list.

"Hey, isn't this the mayor's aide who supposedly stole money from the city and vanished two years ago? I think I heard about it while I was in training," she added with a frown.

"Yeah. I doubt he got away with the money. I think he just...got removed," Nathanael admitted. "The only evidence of what's going on is stuff most of these people won't admit to, and the instructions on the golden notes. But people are supposed to burn them when they're done with them."

"Who gives them to you when you take them to people?" Marinette asked.

"Depends. Sometimes it's Sabrina, sometimes it's random customers at the coffee shop," he answered.

"That's awfully bold, considering how often officers go there," Alya commented, rejoining them.

"Dorée is sure that your chief would cover up any discovery of the notes," Nathanael replied.

"But he hasn't covered up the note Kim and Max found," Marinette pointed out.

"Actually, Max said the physical note vanished from evidence overnight," Alya said grimly. "And the images on his computer are gone, too." Marinette bit her lip.

"Damocles doesn't know I have a picture of it, does he?" she asked. "I didn't mention it when I got permission to use Chat Noir as an informant."

"I don't think anyone told him. But does know we were asking Nathanael questions," Alya pointed out. "Which means Dorée might know about Chat Noir working with you."

"Well she certainly knows he helped me escape Sabrina," Nathanael said.

"Then we need to keep you out of sight for a while," Marinette decided.

"Nino has a safe house he's used to hide witnesses without using official channels before," Alya told them. "We can ask him to let Nathanael stay there."

"Nino has a safe house?" Marinette repeated. Did this have something to do with what Chat Noir had said about the profiler being well known in 'certain circles'?

"Yeah. I'll call him." Alya pulled out her phone and called Nino. Nathanael walked over to stand by Tikki's cage, and Marinette checked her cell phone to see if the thief had any new names to add to their list and see if he had any suggestions on how to actually go after Dorée. Because if they were going to pull this off, they would need a really good plan.


	29. Griffin's Protection

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the Official Background Development Chapter. Many mysteries will be explained, and hopefully I haven't rushed the explanations too much. Next chapter will also probably have a lot of fun background-building stuff.

When Nino arrived at Marinette's apartment, Alya pulled her partner aside so the profiler could talk to Nathanael.

"I know who you are," Nathanael said quietly.

"Well, I'm the profiler at the same station Marinette and Alya are assigned to, so I've gotten coffee from you more than once," Nino replied.

"That's not what I meant. You're more than a profiler; you're the Griffin," Nathanael replied. "Adrien told me." Nino nodded.

"I've been called that. And I did help Adrien once. Did he tell you where the safe house is?"

"No. He said he didn't know exactly where it was, actually. Is that where I'm going?" the barista asked.

"Yeah. No one I take there knows where it is, and no one can track my car, so you'll be completely safe. Now, while you're there, you can't have any cell phones or computers, because they could be tracked. You also can't log in to any online accounts you have," Nino told him. Nathanael blinked.

"You're very thorough," he noted. Nino's expression went blank for a moment.

"I became the Griffin for a reason," he said after a moment. "When I was a kid, there was a serial killer on the loose. Once he got caught, the police thought all the witnesses were safe, so the security got relaxed. A copycat targeted the witnesses and the victims' families. A lot of people got hurt. I won't let any of my witnesses get hurt like that," Nino explained grimly.

"Someone you knew got hurt, didn't they?" Nathanael asked. Nino sighed.

"Yeah. My mom was almost his last victim, and the copycat killed my sister," Nino admitted. "So when I became a profiler, I promised myself no witness would ever get hurt because I assumed they were safe." Nathanael was silent for a long moment.

"You said you helped Adrien. Was it when he was running from...?"

"His father? Yeah, it was." Nino studied Nathanael for a moment. "Ready to go?" Nathanael handed over his phone and nodded.

"I just have one more question," he said.

"Ask away," Nino replied.

"Are there any animals at the safe house? Having Tikki around really helped," Nathanael explained, nodding to the cage with the little red bird. Nino smiled understandingly.

"I have a partner in running the safe house. She has pets," the profiler admitted. "You'll meet them in a bit." Nathanael seemed to relax a bit. "Alya, Marinette? We're ready to head out," Nino called. The women returned, glancing between the two men as though trying to evaluate how their conversation went.

"So you're okay with this?" Marinette asked, her gaze fixed on Nathanael, who managed a little smile.

"Yeah. I've heard about this guy," the barista added. "I trust him."

"Am I the only one who doesn't know what's going on with you, Nino?" Marinette asked. "Everyone else seems to know something about you."

"I'll fill you in once this business with Chat Noir is done," Nino answered. "Oh, and speaking of the gentleman thief, how are things with him?"

"I'll fill you in when you tell me about whatever reputation you have that would make Chat Noir and Nathanael have such high regard for you," Marinette countered, her curiosity piqued. Nino laughed.

"Sounds like a plan," he said. "See you Monday, you two." Marinette and Alya waved, and Nathanael followed Nino out of the apartment.


	30. Picardy's Safe House

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been super busy, but I promise I'm trying to update. I just have some decisions to make about this fic. Namely, where/how it will end, and what the sequel(s) will be about. I am taking votes on where to cut this fic off and start the sequel. More information in the end notes.

Nino closed the safe house's garage door after he pulled the car in, then got out. Nathanael hesitated to follow. The door to the house opened, and a woman in her forties or fifties approached the car, a medium-sized black dog following her. Nathanael opened the door and got out, half-expecting the dog to jump on him, but it stayed at the woman's heel.

"Hello, there," she greeted him. "I'm the one who keeps the safe house running. I won't tell you my name, and I won't ask you what yours is. I also won't ask you anything about why you're here, but if you want to talk, I'll listen. Anything you need, just let me know, okay?" Nathanael blinked, surprised by her kind yet businesslike manner. She'd obviously done this before. "You can call me Ms. Picardy, or just Picardy," she added, smiling gently. "Let's get you inside, okay?" Nathanael nodded, and turned to get his bag from the car - Nino had stopped at Nathanael's apartment so he could pack a few things - only to find Nino had already gotten it and was carrying it inside. Nathanael found himself ushered into the house, through the kitchen, down the hall, and into what looked like a guest bedroom. The dog followed the whole way.

"You'll be safe here," Nino said, setting Nathanael's bag on the bed. "Picardy will take good care of you, and so will Amie," he added, nodding to the dog.

"Thank you," Nathanael murmured. The profiler smiled and handed him a cell phone.

"This is prepaid, untraceable, all that. If you need any of your old contacts' numbers, ask Picardy. She'll get a message to me, and I'll get the number and send it to you. Okay?"

"All right," Nathanael agreed.

"Great! I have to talk to Picardy for a minute; you get settled," Nino suggested. Then he and the woman left. Nathanael watched them go, suddenly feeling like this whole safe house idea was rushed and maybe not such a good idea. He wasn't looking forward to going to sleep and probably having another nightmare, and he would be bored since he couldn't go to work or anything.

Something cold and wet touched his hand, and the barista blinked down at the dog, who had stayed in the room with him.

"Hi there," he murmured, petting the animal's soft head. "Your name is Amie, right?" The dog's tail wagged encouragingly, and he sat on the floor, ruffling her shoulder fur. He'd barely settled down when Amie flopped down across his lap, tail thumping against the ground happily as Nathanael kept petting her. Maybe this wouldn't be such a bad thing after all.

In the kitchen, Nino and Picardy were talking quietly.

"You should visit more," Picardy said. "Amie and I get lonely between guests."

"I call you at least once a week, mom," Nino replied. "And I would come more often if I could, but you know I don't want to risk leading anyone who's looking for a former guest here."

"I know. I just wish I could see you more," she sighed. "This young man you brought...is he connected to that nasty Dorée woman?"

"You know I can't tell you that," Nino reminded her. His mother gave him a quick hug.

"I know. If he is, I almost hope her lackeys come sniffing around. Amie is a good guard dog, even if she's a therapy animal," she explained.

"I'm sure she is, but I'm going to make sure no one comes near this place," Nino promised. Then he glanced at the clock and grimaced. "I should go soon; I need to check on some other friends of mine." Picardy nodded her understanding.

"Just make sure to say goodbye to your friend before you go," she urged.

"Of course. Oh! I almost forgot: you should show him the art studio if he's bored," Nino told her. "He's an artist."

"Really? I'll make sure to show him, then," she assured him. "Now run along, son. Your friends need you, and I'll take care of this young man." Nino kissed her cheek.

"Thanks. You're the best."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick note, Amie is a Picardy Spaniel, and trained as a therapy dog. Which is why Nino's mom uses the name she does.
> 
> Okay, about the end: I can either end this in the next few chapters and have the sequel be about catching Dorée/Chloe and everyone being happy together, or I can include that arc in this fic. You can vote by comment on this chapter, or by messaging me on my tumblr (allmycharactersare-dead). Please let me know; I want to hear your thoughts!  
> Also, I am now taking Christmas/Holiday-themed prompts!


	31. The Courier Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You'd think with my classes and finals over, I would have more time to write. But no, I've been really busy since finals ended. So this chapter is, once again, short, and I apologize for how long it's been since I updated. I promise I will update again as soon as I get time.  
> Also, thank you to everyone who commented and voted on where this fic will end and the sequel will begin! Most people seem to prefer the option where this ends before the arc where Chloe is actually caught begins. Catching Cloe will happen in the sequel.  
> Which means this fic is almost over! Just a few more chapters!

"Marinette? Was that your phone just now?" Alya asked. Marinette jumped, her thoughts - worrying about Nathanael, mostly - interrupted, and glanced at her phone screen. There was a new message from Chat Noir, probably answering her question about names to add to their list of people Dorée had under her thumb. Hopefully he would have an idea about how to actually take her down... "Marinette. You okay?"

"I'm fine," Marinette answered quickly, opening the message. She sighed. "The cat has four more names to add. Where's that list?" Alya handed it to her, and Marinette copied the names down.

"Does he have any ideas on how to prove Dorée blackmails people into doing her dirty work?" Alya inquired, leaning over her partner's shoulder to look at the text.

"Not yet," Marinette admitted. "And all I can think of is trying to get people to come forward, but Chat Noir says that probably won't work. Everyone who could testify against her is too afraid of whatever leverage she has."

"What if we tricked her into trying to blackmail someone, and we could catch her red-handed?" Alya suggested. Marinette's face lit up with excitement, then fell.

"That's won't work. She only communicates through notes," she remembered.

"And Max and Kim didn't get any fingerprints or anything off the one we had before it vanished," Alya added grimly. Marinette's phone chirped, alerting her to a new message. She opened it without looking, then blinked.

"Chat Noir wants to meet. He says there's someone who wants to talk to him...and me," she said.

"What? Why you?" Alya demanded, trying to lean over her friend's shoulder to read the message. Marinette tilted the phone screen so Alya couldn't see.

"You don't want to know. Plausible deniability, and all," Marinette explained. Alya frowned.

"Plausible deniability? What aren't you telling me?" she asked, eyeing her partner with obvious concern.

"I didn't get hurt, and everyone is safe, so it's fine," Marinette answered. "I promise I'll tell you everything once we've caught Dorée. Okay?" Alya's frown deepened, and her brow furrowed.

"Okay. But you also have to promise that if anything goes wrong, you'll let me help," she agreed reluctantly. Marinette relaxed a little.

"Thanks, Alya. You're the best," she said. Then she stood. "I have to go to that meeting, and I have to change clothes before I do."

"I'll leave you to it, then," her partner replied. "Just...be careful. I don't want to lose a partner, especially one as lucky as you," she added teasingly.

"Me? Lucky?" Marientte repeated. "I'm not lucky."

"Sure you are. When Chat Noir landed on you that first night, you could've been seriously hurt, but you weren't. Then you got us assigned to this case, which is turning out bigger than anyone thought it would. It's exciting, it could make your career if this goes right. And the thief you're trying to catch keeps leaving you presents. Not to mention the little things: you just happen to find out that the vandal with a lead on the Dorée thing is the barista down the street, you just happen to find him after he was hurt and convince him to talk. You're a lucky person, Marinette. Just don't let it go to your head," Alya told her seriously. "I meant it when I said I don't want to lose a partner...and you're my friend, too." Marinette stared at her for a moment, speechless. Alya laughed a little at her expression.

"I'm lucky in my partner assignment, at least," Marinette admitted, smiling at her partner. Alya grinned and hugged her.

"That's sweet," she said with a grin. "You're going to be late for your meeting if we keep standing around talking, though." Marinette nodded, and Alya went to the door. "Call me as soon as you're home safe again."

"I will," Marinette promised. She waited until the door closed behind Alya, then looked down at the text from the thief again.

'We need to meet. Dorée sent a courier to deliver a message to you and me. Apparently she thinks we're protecting Nathanael for her from the police. We'll be at that park with the fountain. Wear your mask.'

Marinette bit her lip. The usual flirtatious tone was gone. The thief was serious, maybe even scared. Dorée knew they had Nathanael, but for some reason she was confused about the reason. Why? Was this a trap? Or maybe Sabrina was just covering her tracks after losing Nathanael to a thief and a stranger. Either way, Marinette couldn't let Chat Noir face the courier and any danger that meeting might bring on his own. She went to her room and pulled her mask out of her closet.


	32. The Courier Part Two

When Marinette arrived at the fountain park, it was strangely empty for a weekend. Only two people were near the actual fountain: Chat Noir, in his black clothes, mask, and cat ears, and a short woman with pink hair who wore a helmet and skates.

"You're the one who helped Nathanael?" the short woman asked. Marinette nodded.

"You're the courier who wanted to meet with us?" Marinette asked.

"Yeah. My name is Alix," she answered. "Nath's a friend of mine, and he told me what really happened."

"What do you mean?" Chat Noir frowned. "You told me this was about us protecting Nathanael from the cops."

"I know that's not what's going on. Nath told me everything before he went into hiding. I think Sabrina is trying to cover up her failure in getting information out of him and then letting him be rescued. She told Dorée that Nath didn't betray them, and that she asked Chat Noir to find a way to hide him from the police," Alix told them. "And since Nath is in hiding, Dorée has decided to use me as her courier for now." The woman's expression twisted in distaste.

"So Dorée thinks I'm helping her?" Chat Noir grimaced. "That's not good."

"Actually, it is. Nath also told me you're trying to get the cops to take Dorée down," Alix said with a grin. Marinette's thoughts spun. A courier, friends with Nathanael, knew about police involvement...Alix must be the one Nathanael had contacted for names of people who had been manipulated by Dorée. Which meant they could probably believe what she was telling them: Dorée believed they were on her side, and willing to go against the cops.

"How is this good?" Chat Noir hissed. "I've been trying not to become one of her lackeys for years!" Marinette glanced at the thief in surprise. Was this why he had contacted her and convinced her to help him get rid of Dorée? Because he didn't want to become another name on the list of people she'd blackmailed into helping her?

"But if she thinks you're already on her side, she won't be in such a hurry to dig up blackmail material on you two," Alix pointed out.

"And if she tries to officially recruit us, this could be exactly what we need," Marinette realized. The thief gave her an incredulous look, and she held up a hand to stall him. "Just hear me out. You need concrete evidence to get the police to do something, right?" Chat Noir nodded reluctantly, his green gaze fixed on her, still confused and indignant. "Well, what better way to collect evidence than to be invited in?" Understanding dawned on the thief.

"If she thinks we're working for her, she might let something slip," he mused. "This could work." Marinette couldn't help but grin. This idea would need a little more shaping before it could become a concrete plan, and they would have to bring Alya in on it, and maybe Nino, too.

"If you're going to do this, you'll have to go to the meeting she wants," Alix said. "That's why I was sent to talk to you two: she wants to meet face to face. Masks or other disguises are all right, but if you're followed, the meet is off. She'll choose the time and place if you agree." Marinette and Chat Noir exchanged determined looks.

"We're in. But we'll need time to make some arrangements," Marinette stated.

"You'll probably have a week or so before she has time to meet you. For someone who never gets her hands dirty, she's awfully busy," Alix replied. "I'll let her know you agreed, and get back to you once I have a location and time." Alix turned as if to leave, then turned back. "You have a name I should give her?" Marinette hesitated. She didn't want to give her real name... She glanced at Chat Noir. A nickname like that might work. But what should she call herself? Alya's comments about Marinette being lucky came to mind. Maybe something about luck? Something landed on her arm, and she went to swat it automatically, but then paused. It was a ladybug. Those were lucky, and the mask Marinette wore was red and black.

"Ladybug," Marinette answered firmly. "Tell her I go by Ladybug." Alix grinned.

"Will do. Are you going to get a mask like Chat Noir's?" she asked. Marinette tilted her head. "I know the guy who makes them. I can have him do one for you, but you'll have to go to his shop to have it fit and work right."

"Can I trust him?" Marinette asked.

"Of course. He wouldn't be in business anymore if he wasn't good at keeping secrets," Alix assured her, pulling a business card out of her pocket. "Here. Give him a call." Marinette took the card.

"Thanks."

"No, thank you," Alix replied. "I'll be in touch." Then she skated away, leaving Chat Noir and the newly named Ladybug at the fountain.

"So we're really going to do this," Chat Noir murmured. "Are you going to be okay with this? We might have to actually do some jobs for Dorée for her to trust us enough to let us near anything incriminating."

"I know. We'll need to bring Alya in, maybe Nino, too," she sighed.

"Can you get a hold of them?"

"Yeah. Alya is waiting for me to call her and tell her what happened with the courier, and Nino should be done with his errand by now," Marinette said thoughtfully. "Want to go meet with them?"

"Thank you for offering, my lady, but I must decline. I don't have an agreement with those two about not arresting me until after Dorée is caught," he reminded her, his tone growing less serious and more flirty. Marinette's lips twitched upward in amusement.

"Scaredy cat," she teased. "I'll let you know what they say, okay?" The thief gave her a quick bow.

"Until we meet again, my lady," he purred. Then he, too, left. Marinette watched him go, then looked down at the card in her hand. She would visit the mask maker before she called Alya. This whole undercover operation wouldn't work if she was recognized by Sabrina as the cop who had talked to her and Nathanael.


	33. Ladybug and Chat Noir

Marinette was perched on the rooftop of a clock repair shop nearly a week later, her new mask concealing her features. She wore her red and black Ladybug outfit, and had a red shoulder bag with black spots slung over her shoulder. She adjusted the strap, making sure the bag was secure. It wouldn't do for it to slip and get in the way, after all.

"Good evening, my lady," a familiar voice greeted her. Marinette turned and smiled.

"You're late," she informed the thief who was crouching on the roof behind her, having just jumped from the neighboring building. He stood, grinning.

"My apologies, Ladybug. Ready to go?" he asked, his tone shifting, his expression beneath his own mask growing serious.

"Yeah," she answered shortly. "You know the way?"

"Some of it. We're meeting Alix at one of Dorée's satelite hideouts, and she'll take us to wherever we're supposed to meet the boss," Chat Noir told her. Marinette took a deep breath. As soon as they met up with Alix, they would have to be on guard. If this worked, they would be undercover until they could find conclusive evidence of the crimes Dorée was suspected of. It could be a few days, or a few weeks, or even longer. Nino had agreed to fill in for her and help Alya with patrols, so Marinette just had to focus on her undercover work.

Marinette glanced at Chat Noir, her suspicions of his identity swirling in the back of her mind, and shook her head to clear them away. For now, to convince Dorée that she was who she said she was - Ladybug, a new face in the city's underground, Chat Noir's partner in crime, specializing in handling situations that no one wanted the police to catch wind of - she couldn't be just Marinette Dupain-Cheng, police officer. She had to do her best to become Ladybug.

"This way, my lady," Chat Noir called. Marinette - Ladybug - nodded and followed him across the rooftop, hopping lightly to the slightly lower roof of the next building. The thief ran along the crest of that roof easily, and Ladybug followed, glad that she had taken the time between ordering her mask and receiving the finished product to practice rooftop travel. To her surprise, she found herself grinning as she followed Chat Noir through the dusk. There was a slight breeze, and she realized she was enjoying the exercise.

They reached their rendezvous almost too soon. Chat Noir led her down a fire escape, and then out of an alley and into a small courtyard. Alix was waiting, watching as Ladybug and Chat Noir approached, ready to face Dorée.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this was really short, and it took forever to figure out what to do to end this. But I promise, a sequel is coming! New episodes means I have new inspiration!


End file.
